Amazon Rainforest Conservation

You'll gain a truly comprehensive view of the Amazon's ecosystem with this program, where you can study the flora, fauna, and birds in the southeastern part of Peru.

The Amazon is the largest river in the world, surrounded by some of the most biodiverse rainforest. This jungle remains remote, and tribal life along the banks of the mighty river and her tributaries has undergone few changes through the years. More bird and insect species can be found here than almost any region in the world, and plant variety is unmatched. Several projects surveying and recording jungle life await you in this verdant playground.

You'll live and work in the thatched-roof conservation center, and you'll get on-the-job training with conservationists. You might spend one day cutting new paths in the jungle, the next doing population studies and surveying salt licks where thousands of macaws roost, and then move on to mammal observation at mud pits used as footprint/track recording sites. There are species here that have never been recorded. You'll be monitoring and recording data on several categories of flora and fauna, ranging from jaguar and puma to tarantulas and tortoises. Some of the land in the 1,500-acre (607-ha) reserve is untouched and some has been cut back for farming in the past; it is from comparative study of the old and new forest that scientists are learning about the effects of humans on biodiversity, and the rainforest's potential for regeneration.

While the days are full, nights are spent relaxing around the center, where you'll sleep in open-walled buildings above the labs and common rooms. A waterfall nearby is a welcome respite (especially since there is no hot water at the center), and the evenings are lit by candlelight because the generator runs only a few hours each day. English is spoken at the center, and local team members will be eager to practice, so getting to use your Spanish skills might be tough (and is not required).