last day in the Pantanal

Ola!
This morning we were working in the lab compiling data from this week. Suddenly, someone came running up with news that otters were spotted right across from the farm. My group jumped into canoes to scout them out. They were too fast for us, but it was another good canoeing opportunity.
This morning we added another mode of transportation to our list for the week. We went out horseback riding. My horse constantly stopped to snack and had a bit of an attitude problem around a few other horses, but, somehow, it was still relaxing!
Tonight we will make presentations about our week including a slideshow of our favorite pictures.
Tomorrow we fly out and our group will be heading in different directions. I will be leaving for Rio and the beach.
This has been a great trip with great people!

From Saturday Morning

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Jungle Cruise
Ola!Today I was part of the otters project again. We took a boat to one of the Oxbow lakes that are connected to the river. In order to get to the Oxbow, we took to our canoes. It was a water jungle! Manuel stood in front of the first canoe and used his machete to clear the way. Heather and I followed in our canoe, using branches to push our way through. We also had to duck under shrubs with spines and "limbo" our way under other low-lying branches. After scouting the lake for otters, or signs of otters, we paddled for an hour and half back to the farm. It was exhausting, but beautiful and fun!
at 5:32 PM

When it rains, it pours

Ola! This morning we awoke to the loudest clap of thunder any of us had ever heard! It was raining hard and lightning lit up the sky. Luckily the lightning and thunder stopped by the end of breakfast (7:00 a.m.). Everyone in my group put on her rain jacket and headed out to the field. Our job was to "put down" the amphibian/reptile traps that we set up the day after we arrived. This meant covering the buckets, dropping and rolling up the plastic wall, and then covering the whole thing up with palm branches. We were out in the field for about 3 1/2 hours - it rained the whole time. On the upside, I got to use a machete!
This afternoon, I did something else I never dreamed that I would do. I, along with Ellen, Michelle, Vanda, Chin-Loo and Mary walked in socks in a salt lake looking for turtles. We walked three-by-three around the circumference of the lake scouting the bottom for a glimpse of a turtle shell. Michelle and Mary not only saw a turtle, but they had quick enough reflexes to pick it up. After our mission was complete, we swam back across the river, with caiman lurking off in the distance. We then drove back in the truck with two turtles in the bed and with an occasional wild pig and caiman crossing in front of us. We also caught a view of some toucans in the trees.

After dinner post

We just had another amazing home-cooked Brazilian meal. The desserts were a creamy caramel and a shredded papaya in a sugary sauce. Excellent!
Anyway, this afternoon we boated to bridge to conduct a stake-out for otters. It was extremely hot so when the black clouds rolled in and a light rain started to fall, it was a relief. Since there was some thunder, we had to cut our observations short and return to the farm. Our plan B was lab work. I had to wash scat samples and then help enter data into an Excel program. Ironically, once we returned to the farm, the sun came back out and we had a beautiful view of the river from the lab window. Not a bad place to do science!

So, what do you do after you catch them?

You measure and weigh them! This afternoon Ellen, Michelle, Chin-loo and myself spent the day in the lab with our new friends. You can see one above.

Do you know why they make 14 inch tweezers?

To pick up taratulas! This morning I was out with Ellen, one of the researchers and teammates Michelle and Chin-loo, Our job was to go into the jungle to check the traps we set on Wednesday. Well, we caught a few things! We were able to bag and bring back many frogs and a few lizards. They were waiting for us in trash barrels that are buried in the ground. In order to get them out, you reach down and pick them up with your bare hands. However, you before you do that you need to take out any potentially unfriendly creatures. We had to pick out a scorpion, a rat, and a couple of tarantulas. I can know speak from experience...you need to act quickly to get the tarantula. You quietly put your hand in the bucket with the tweezers ready to go and then swiftly grab it by the torso. (The tarantulas were probably about 5-6 inches.) After having safely it safely in the tweezers, you realease it quickly in the jungle ...far from the collection buckets! We also had to rescue one of the frogs from ants that were eating it alive. As the expression goes, it's a jungle out there!
Ms. S.

Me with Snake