In the Pantanal

last day in the Pantanal

2007-02-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-19T07:58:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-18T15:38:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-17T16:08:00.000-08:00

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?

2007-02-16T15:57:00.000-08:00

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?

2007-02-16T06:36:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-15T16:42:00.000-08:00

answers to questions

2007-02-15T16:23:00.000-08:00

Mrs. O.: I've REALLY enjoyed being immersed in Brazilian cuisine, so I haven't started to miss American food yet. I'm guessing I will start to miss pizza soon, however!

Stephanie:The beautiful flowers next to the river are not only attractive, but safe (as far as I know!).

Lillibeth: No sunburn yet, but lots of sunscreen!

Shea: The leafcutter ants are one of the most amazing insects I have seen. They carry leaf pieces about 10 times their size and walk over obstacles like sticks, etc.!

Katie: The trees can get to be about 100 feet tall. Some of the most amazing trees have huge stilt root that are about 15 feet high.

second time is the charm

2007-02-15T16:08:00.000-08:00

Ola!

I loved being able to talk to a few 7Z students today! I keep thinking this would be a great place for a field trip....if we only could!

After getting off the satellite phone, I jumped on a boat and headed back onto the Rio Negro. On our second trip of the day we found an amazing otter den ( a multi-room underground dwelling....a true mansion for otters!). We also saw prints and collected scat. Our researchers and guides, Manuel and Edson, both saw Neotropical River Otters. Manuel spotted one on as we returning back to the farm around sunset. (Tho boat ride was beautiful with a warm breeze blowing, strips of color in the sky....)

As we docked, we were greeted by a caiman sitting on the shore, about 10 feet from our boat. I guess he wanted a closer look, because he entered the water and swam closer to the boat with only his yes peering up at us. I think he was interested in seeing who the new tourists are!

I'm enjoying hear back from people! I hope everyone at Walsh has a great vacation. My last full day in the Pantanal is Monday, so I will keep posting until then.

It rains in the Pantanal!

2007-02-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

Ola!
Last night my team worked in the lab from 7:30-8:00 and then again after dinner until 9:00. We measured, weighed and made observations about the snake and two lizards that we found during the day's catch. Today other teams released them back into the jungle and brought in new samples from the field.
This a.m. I worked with researchers and teammates Michelle and Mary out on the river. We patrolled the river banks in a boat looking for tracks, scat, nesting sites and campsites left behind by the otters. We found a few resting sites and tracks left by Neotropical River Otters at a couple of our stops. Unfortunately, (or fortunately :)) we didn't find any scat samples that were recent enough to collect and use. Our morning trip ended when the dark clouds finally opened up. A drving rain led to a quick trip back to the farm. I was thankful my digital camera was in a plastic bag because we were soaked through by the time we got back. We were very ready for our hot lunch.
I'm off to call Walsh with the satellite phone!

Baby steps...baby snakes

2007-02-14T13:33:00.000-08:00

Ola!
Today my team spent the day setting traps to catch amphibians and reptiles. The traps are made of long sheets of plastic which guide the creatures into buckets buried in the ground. Although we were only out to set up the traps, we had a few early birds waiting for us. One of them was a baby black snake. Stay tuned for a picture of me holding him or her! I was fearless! :) I am told we will meet larger ones as the week goes on!
In addition to catching snakes and lizards, we got to experience an Indiana Jones style ride! We cruised through the grasslands and jungle from the back of an open jeep. We saw tapirs, feral pigs, caiman and pigs along the way. I can't believe how incredible the last two days have been!
I need to clean up for dinner. We are having fish - a fresh catch from the Rio Negro.

Some Answers - Wed. 2/14

2007-02-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

A couple of things...
Sitting here in 90 degree weather, it's hard to imagine enough snow to cancel school! I hope you are enjoying your snow day!
You may now post responses right here on the blog.
Please go to the photo gallery for pics. The internet connection is too slow for us to post too many pics in our individual blogs.
Here are some answers to questions from 7Z students:
Matt H: There are lots of insects in the Pantanal! Yesterday we stepped over mine fields of ant hills. We also recorded cutter ants hauling leaf pieces 10 times their size around the forest floor.
Brian P.: One big difference between American life and life here on the farm is the schedule. We have a long lunch break each day. (Lunch is the largest meal of the day.) We have about three hours to eat, relax, socialize. (Mrs. O, Ms. F., and Mr. B., can you imagine that?) We work until about 7:00 p.m. though.
Ariel: There are many, many, many mosquitos here! We wouldn't think of going into the jungle without insect repellant!
Katie: It hasn't rained since we arrived. It's been sunny, hot and humid.
Michelle: It is hard to tell you exactly how much the Pantanal has flooded. However, yesterday our guide showed us areas where river banks have completely disappeared due to flooding. Some of the amphibian/reptile traps (which are dug into the forest floor) have also been flooded out.
Mike I: The Pantanal is not very populated at all. Most of the human activity in the Pantanal is related to ranching.
Julia R.: I've heard that roasted pineapple is a Brazilian favorite!
Jovani: I'm getting used to paying for meals and buying things with the B razilian Reais. One dollar is roughly equal to two Reais. (See, all that math that you are learning from Ms. Flecca comes in handy!)
Kevin F.: I have to say that I love the tropical climate here! It is great to be warm and wearing shorts again. :)
Julia C. : The other food shown on the plate pic is lamb, sausage, papaya, a rice dish and a potato dish.
Jenae: I think I will miss living in such a natural place when I leave. The farm where we are living at is very comfortable, but it is fun and exciting to go to the water and see Caiman or drive to the jungle and see a toucan flying overhead!
Nishitha: The anteater is a great example of a Pantanl animal with an adaptation. To deal with the floods that happen each year, it migrates to higher ground. Anteaters in other areas don't migrate the same way.
Saad: There was a snake caught in one of the farm buildings yesterday. I'm not sure if it is endangered. It is young and its markings aren't fully developed yet. Ellen, a researcher, wasn't sure which species it is. I'll keep you posted if we see more.
Nicole: Many of the birds in the Pantanal are endangered. We've taken pictures but need to research their names.
Sean N.: Tomorrow I'll be looking for otters. It is harder to see them now, in the rainy season, because they migrate to other areas in the Pantanal. We will be looking for their shelters and latrines, though!

Day 2 - We arrived in the Pantanal!

2007-02-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

Now I know why we need boots!
This morning we drove about 1 ½ hours out of Campo Grande to a dirt runway. We loaded our bags onto two small planes and took off to our final destination in the Pantanal. I had a front row seat next to the pilot in our plane. (Did that make me the co-pilot???) Looking down several hundred feet, we could see cowboys herding sheep and the brown river snaking its way through the country. The flooding river turned many fields into swamps and we flew over one pool of water after another.
After making a landing in the fields at Fazenda Rio Negro, we made our way to the buildings of the farm that we will call home for the next week. As soon as we stepped off the plane, we were greeted by wildlife everywhere. There are hundreds of types of birds, the largest being the emus and vultures circling overhead. We had some time before and after lunch to take pictures. I almost captured my first caiman sighting, but he dove underwater before I snapped the picture!
This afternoon we finally went out on the river. The views from the water were beautiful, but it was even better getting off the boat and walking through the jungle. We had to cut away vines to get our boat through a few small passages. We were on a mission to check traps. (Ellen Wong, one of the researchers we are working with, puts out the traps to catch frogs, lizards and snakes). She was successful! We found several frogs and an unidentified snake. I’ve been assigned to a team to work with the traps again tomorrow.As we pulled up to the river bank back at the farm, we were greeted by 10 sets of Caiman peering up at us from the water. We were also called over to one of the farm buildings because a farm employee found a snake in his room. Who knows what we will see tomorrow!

Monday, February 11th

2007-02-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

I arrived in Campo Grande, Brazil today. Robbie - I was on a night flight so I didn't catch a glimpse of the rainforest as we were flying. :( Today I met up with my teammates and we spent the day experiencing Brazilian life. We've had an amazing introduction! I know already that I love Brazilian food! We ate lunch at a traditional meat house. The waiters roamed by every few minutes to fill our plates with a different slice of meat. Our favorite was the roasted pineapple. (see pic)
This afternoon we got word that the Pantanal is flooded! We began a city-wide search for high rubber work boots. (Erica and Katie - This may turn out to be the most important item for our trip!) To tell you the truth, I'm glad we had to buy the boots. I think I'll feel safer venturing around knowing I have boots between my legs and whatever may be lurking in the water below! The people in Campo Grande have been incredibly helpful. Twice we've asked for directions (in our limited Portuguese) and ended up with tour guides taking us around the city.
Tomorrow is the day we go to the Pantanal. We are meeting at 7 a.m. and will pack our stuff on a small plane. (Shaina - The river running through the Pantanal is the Rio Negro.) That is when and where our search for otters and well, you know, begins.
7Z, thanks for your questions! I will try to answer the rest once I see the Pantanal!
Ms. S.

2007-02-04T08:15:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog! I will be posting stories and reports of my trip to the Pantanal in Brazil. As part of an Earthwatch expedition team, I will be participating in studies on river otters, amphibians, and reptiles.
I am one week away from leaving for Brazil. I am excited and busy packing...I still have to get my mosquito repellant! I am looking forward to my trip and responding to your comments and questions!