My time spent working here was assuredly one of the best things I have been involved in to-date!
Firstly, it is to be noted that the Amazon branch of the organisation is very new comparatively to the Atlantic Forest, meaning that the facilities are different but this is by no means a negative! The accomodation is lovely, being in a re-purposed AirBnB, complete with swimming pool, affectionate cat and the loveliest neighbours you could ever hope to meet. On top of that, the coordinators are fantastic, being helpful, friendly and informative regarding both work, down-time and anything in-between.
Some of the best extra activities we did were visiting Santarem to see the pink dolphins and on our way back from the Bird Inventory at Canal do Jari, taking a tour to see sloths and squirrel monkeys. The beaches around Alter do Chao are also some of the nicest I’ve been to!
Even though I had traveled for two days to the other side of the planet, I had never felt more at home. Meeting likeminded volunteers from across the globe was really one of the highlights of my time there; the others being the inventories. Traveling to different locations to photograph bird populations, discovering new species of mushrooms, exploring the night-time world of the rainforest searching for flourescent creatures, catching a huge frog and naming it “Bruno”… the list goes on!
The work it does is essential, considering that the Amazon Rainforest is home to so many endemic species and yet so little is known about them. By conducting inventories over time, species can be monitored and the impact of threats can hopefully be identified to help conserve one of the most biodiverse places on the planet.
I personally feel that I have helped make a difference during my time, having added several different species to the database, namely the Peach-fronted Parakeet and a species of cordycep mushroom (as well as a number of others). Prior to my role as a volunteer, the world of nature photography was practically unknown to me and now after seeing such brilliant species and learning new skills I really feel that it is an area I would love to explore, particularly with insects. My own personal achievement is that over the span of a month, I managed to rank number 9 on iNaturalist in Santarem, finding 57 different species independently of the inventories.
One of the most challenging things I found was adapting to the jungle itself: mosquitos and heat. On the surface, when taking a trip to the middle of the Amazon, it’s what you expect, however it all adds up. Early mornings, insect bites, 30+ degrees and fatigue does eventually try it’s best to sap your mood, however much fun you are having. Luckily though, it is a very good teacher when it comes to taking things at your own pace and working together with the team.
Overall, I think the project exceeded my expectations, acting as an educational and immensely fun project full of diverse work and wonderful people. While I was there a whole month, I feel that I could have honestly stayed there for longer, discovering new things and spending time in one of the most Amazing places I have ever been!
I would highly recommend this project to friends, family and anyone looking to make a difference in the conservation of the natural world: I very much believe in the work they do and thoroughly appreciate just how accessible the project is to volunteers.
