Wildlife in the Amazon

Nature study has always been one of my favorite pastimes, so getting to explore the Amazon Rainforest is a truly incredible experience for me. As of yet I haven't been able to go into the forest much. However, I have been promised a canoe expedition before I leave. Most of my observations so far have been of the insect world. Bugs are everywhere here and as much as you try there is no getting away from them. No amount of ant killer will rid your home of the numerous variety of ants, and even the best of house keepers is sure to find a cockroach skulking in the corners of cupboards. The plant life is exquisite and profuse which is a strong attraction for bees, wasps and butterflies. The bright colors all around are one of the most striking features of the Amazon. No withered dried up plants here, or watering systems. The humid climate keeps everything green and luscious all year round. A drought here is when it doesn't rain for 17 days. The birds are always in a constant tizzy it seems. The constant twittering isn’t annoying though. Its definitely one of the things I’ll miss.

The other day on my way back from the internet café I met a large blueish-green parrot as I walked across the compue. He was just chilling by the path and cocked his head when I said hello. Jacob, Lucas and I have started a bug collection and are even collecting insect eggs. So far Jacob has hatched cockroaches, and some kind of tiny caterpillar and three of our large colorful and poisonous caterpillars have made cocoons. Since researching on the internet is nearly impossible here I will have to wait till I get home to look up what we’ve caught. The largest bug I’ve seen was a squashed rhino beetle that was on the side of the road.

Pets around here are pretty much anything you can catch. A good friend of the Peaces has quite the zoo. He’s had several different kinds of monkeys, parrots, and all kinds of other exotic creatures. Lloyds had his fair share of interesting pets as well. He brought a baby sloth home after a hunting trip once and even caught a caiman. Stay tuned for more critter news in my next Amazon update.