Amazon Rainforest Wildlife: Camera Traps in Southeast Peru

Black Spider Monkey an indicator primate of pristine an unhunted Amazon Rainforest. Photo: Rommel Gonzalez.

An important element of travel is the sense of anticipation.  And the sense of anticipation is usually at its highest before a trip to the Peru’s Amazon Rainforest. Before your jouney, you may think: How is the trip going to turn out? And what will I see?  I have been asked these questions many times. Neither has a conclusive answer.  But the questions I struggle the most is the latter; will I see a Jaguar, a Harpy Eagleor Spider Monkey ? I am careful not to create false expectations, even though the potential to see these animals is there, and many people do see them.

The Amazon Rainforest is portrayed as the world’s most diverse ecosystems.  It is inhabited by a staggering number of animal and plant species, many of which are colorful and bizarre.  But diversity is often confused with abundance;  most of the Rainforest animals are small, live in the forest (not on the ground), and use camouflages to protect themselves from predators. They are generally shy, and often nocturnal – and to complicate matters, most species are rare.   That said, there is a good chance that you will see some interesting animals when visiting the Amazon Rainforest of Peru, especially if you visit a lodge in a protected area that has a lot of biodiversity, and top-notch guides that can help you find wildlife.

Top-notch guides can help you find wildlife and enhance the Amazon Rainforest experience.

The Rainforest wildlife is there, it is just difficult to spot.  But technology has made possible to have a sense what goes on in the forest when we seem unable to see much.  In the last couple of decades, the use of camera traps has added a new dimension in research, conservation, and eco-tourism.  Still pictures, and video from the camera trap, enables collection of photographic evidence of rarely seen and often globally endangered species, with little expense, relative ease, and minimal disturbance to wildlife. Modern camera traps are a remotely activated and are equipped with a motion, infrared, light, or beam sensor as a trigger. Another advantage is that camera traps can record very accurate data without the animal being captured and this material can be viewed over and over. Camera traps are also helpful in quantifying the number of different species in an area; this is a more effective method than attempting to count by hand every individual organism in a field. It can also be useful in identifying new or rare species that have yet to be well documented. By using camera traps, the well-being and survival rate of animals can be observed over time.

Species such as this Razor-billed Curassow indicate the forest is pristine and unhunted. Photo: Rich Hoyer.

One of the most important things to consider when setting up camera traps, is choosing the location in order to get the best results. Camera traps near mineral licks, or along game trails, yield the best results. Animals gather around mineral licks to consume water and soil, which can be useful in reducing toxin levels, or supplementing mineral intake in their diet. These locations for camera traps also allow for a variety of animals that show up at different times, and use the licks in different ways allowing for the study of animal behavior.

Compilation of video images captured by camera traps set up to capture images of  Rainforest wildlife of Peru.

Biologist Paul Rosalie set up this camera trap near a clay lick in a remote area in Southeast Peru in the Tambopata area. The video here is amazing and proves that the Amazon Rainforest wildlife is there, but it just difficult to see it.  Paul mentions in the video how a jaguar came to inspect the camera just minutes after he set it up and left, proving that when at the Amazon rainforest, seeing wildlife is a high possibility.

That said, there is a good chance that you will see some interesting animals when visiting the Amazon Rainforest.

 In the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve in Northeastern Peru, biologists report obtaining amazing videos of wildlife along trails they walked the morning before without any hint of the presence of the animals recorded on the cameras.  If you are visiting the Amazon Rainforest of Peru, don’t be disappointed at the prospect of not being able to see a number of large mammals.  A good guide can make your experience educational and fascinating even if you don’t see a jaguar, or tapir.