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Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

peru

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Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Lima

“naked” peruvian dog (perro calato de sechura in Spanish)
The bizarre, and beautiful, “naked” peruvian dog (perro calato de sechura in Spanish), a common companion of local peoples.
The bay of Pucusana with the arid slopes of the Atacama desert in the background.
The bay of Pucusana with the arid slopes of the Atacama desert in the background.
pelican (Pelecanus tagus)
The pelican (Pelecanus tagus), lord of the bay.
zarcillo (Larosterna inca)
A group of the common and beautiful zarcillo (Larosterna inca).
colony of boobies
A colony of boobies (Sula variegata), one of the most abundant species along the coast of Lima.
sea lions
Sleepy sea lions (Otaria byronia) enjoying the burning sun and the refreshing splashes of salty water.
sea lion
A huge male sea lion (Otaria byronia) dries its hairy skin under a strong afternoon sun and guards its privileged position amongst a group of females.

February 28, 2016

We arrived to Lima on a sunny, hot day and decided to make a trip to the beach to see some wildlife. We left the outskirts of the gigantic city of Lima on a bus that headed South through the arid regions of the Atacama desert. After about an hour we reached the small and beautiful fishermen village of Pucusana.

Dozens of boats were docked along an ample and peaceful bay where a crowd of people, pelicans, gulls, and sea lions where all busy doing what they do. We rented an small boat and went off to enjoy the wonders of the Pacific coast of the Atacama desert, one of the most productive and best preserved coastal areas of the world—millions of sea birds populate the many islands, islets, and cliffs of the coast. The sea birds produce the guano, a rich manure that has been exploited ever since Alexander von Humboldt described its wonders after studying it at the port of Callao. Here is a glimpse, in pictures, of the few hours we spent in this extraordinary ecosystem.

José Padial and his team of researchers have traveled to the remote Vilcabamba mountains of Peru in the pursuit of biodiversity research. He blogs and sends photos as often as possible capturing his expedition along the way and his return home to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA.

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Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016

Charging electronic devices using solar energy during a short period of sun. (Photo Maira Duarte).
Charging electronic devices using solar energy during a short period of sun. (Photo Maira Duarte).
Reading time at Camp 2. (Photo Maira Duarte).
Reading time at Camp 2. (Photo Maira Duarte).
Three leading Peruvian herpetologists at Camp 2, from left to right, Giussepe Gagliardi, Roberto Gutierrez, and Juan Carlos Chaparro. (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).
Three leading Peruvian herpetologists at Camp 2, from left to right, Giussepe Gagliardi, Roberto Gutierrez, and Juan Carlos Chaparro. (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).
José Padial drying clothes and writing the expedition diary in front of the fire at Camp 03, 2550 m (ca. 8,400 ft). (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).
José Padial drying clothes and writing the expedition diary in front of the fire at Camp 03, 2550 m (ca. 8,400 ft). (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).

On the ridge

Life on the ridge has been hard, fun, intense, interesting, and overall rich in human experiences.

José Padial and his team of researchers are traveling in the remote Vilcabamba mountains of Peru in the pursuit of biodiversity research. He blogs and sends photos as often as possible capturing his expedition along the way.

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Blue Fleece Jacket

Hikers in the forest
by Patrick McShea

Call it simple digital entertainment.

While checking the Tumblr blog of Carnegie Museum of Natural History for pictures and progress reports from the remote mountains of Peru, (Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016), I’ve been paying close attention to the garments worn by the field crew.

Weeks ago, when José Padial let fellow museum employees know about his team’s need for clothing that could provide insulation under ponchos, Amy Henrici and I assembled a bag various fleece and wool items.

Today, in one of Maira Duarte’s beautiful photos, I spotted an old friend. The aqua blue fleece jacket that had once kept me warm on many miles of cross-country skiing in the Laurel Highlands was providing a similar benefit to an expedition member in very different terrain on another continent.

Patrick McShea works in the Education and Visitor Experience department of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences of working at the museum.

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Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016

Park ranger Angel Castellanos, biologist Liz Gomez Ore, and Maira Duarte with their bowls of masato during the Ashaninka celebration. (Photo Maira Duarte)
Park ranger Angel Castellanos, biologist Liz Gomez Ore, and Maira Duarte with their bowls of masato during the Ashaninka celebration. (Photo Maira Duarte)
Envelopes of bijao (Calathea sp. ) are used to bake fish on the grill, adding an special and delicious taste. (Photo Maira Duarte)
Envelopes of bijao (Calathea sp. ) are used to bake fish on the grill, adding an special and delicious taste. (Photo Maira Duarte)
Baked piranha and manioc. (Photo Maira Duarte)
Baked piranha and manioc. (Photo Maira Duarte)
Dancing time at the Ashaninka celebration. (Photo Maira Duarte).
Dancing time at the Ashaninka celebration. (Photo Maira Duarte).

But not everything is work. Last Sunday the team was invited to participate in the anniversary of the Ashaninka community of Marontuari. Some of us, the ones at the lower campsite, were able to attend for the evening events—soccer match, music, and dance. We were very warmly received by the chief and other members of the community, and each one of us handed a bowl of masato that was filled more often than not, and for supper we had piranha baked in an envelope of leafs and with manioc on the side. We listened to recordings of Andean music and an improvised band of local Ashaninka musicians and danced in groups and couples before returning to our campsite across the only and narrow track that makes the forest accessible. Along the way, we´re still able to find some herps.

José Padial and his team of researchers are traveling in the remote Vilcabamba mountains of Peru. He blogs and sends photos as often as possible capturing his expedition along the way. These photos were taken during the week of 2/7-2/11/16.

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Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Pichari

Connecting to the internet from near Camp 1. (Photo Maira Duarte).

Connecting to the internet from near Camp 1. (Photo Maira Duarte).
A mouse opossum sits at night on a branch along the track to Camp 3 (2,650 m). (Photo Juan C. Chaparro).
A mouse opossum sits at night on a branch along the track to Camp 3 (2,650 m). (Photo Juan C. Chaparro).
A Phoneutria spider sits on a leaf at night waiting for its prey. (Photo Juan Carlos Chaparro).
A Phoneutria spider sits on a leaf at night waiting for its prey. (Photo Juan Carlos Chaparro).
Looking at an impressive landslide in front of our campsite. (Photo Maira Duarte).
Looking at an impressive landslide in front of our campsite. (Photo Maira Duarte).

José Padial and his team have established camp in the remote Vilcabamba mountains of Peru in the pursuit of biodiversity research. He blogs and sends photos as often as possible capturing his expedition along the way. These photos were taken during the week of 2/7-2/11/16.

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Vilcabamba mountains of Peru

One of the three bridges that connect Camp 1 and Camp 2. (Photo Maira Duarte)
One of the three bridges that connect Camp 1 and Camp 2. (Photo Maira Duarte)
A secretive bird (most likely a Pipra), sitting in the bushes around Camp
A secretive bird (most likely a Pipra), sitting in the bushes around Camp
The wonderful symmetry of tree ferns (Cyathea). (Photo Maira Duarte).
The wonderful symmetry of tree ferns (Cyathea). (Photo Maira Duarte).
3) Morning coffee time at Camp 2. (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).
3) Morning coffee time at Camp 2. (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).

In the rare moments when the sun shines, the forest around us turns into a warm golden yellow and we can have a glimpse of the beautiful landscape abundant with waterfalls and cliffs. The cloud forests where we make our living and do our sampling make a perfect den for witches of a fairy tale– trees and ancient tree ferns (Cyathea) are covered with dense wet moss, lichens, bromeliads, orchids, vines and many other plants. The diversity of insects is astonishing, with different species of bees and butterflies taking advantage of our salty clothes and provisions. Cicadas, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, bugs, cockroaches, millipedes, centipedes, daddy long legs, scorpions, spiders, wasps, moths, and large terrestrial snails (a delicacy in the Ashaninka culture) also made our companion.

Fortunately, biting creatures (especially mosquitoes and black and sand flies) are not very abundant, although one of our guides was stung by a scorpion and we got some tiger mites. Poisonous snakes are also rare, unfortunately. We found a medium-sized bush master (Lachesis muta) that escaped my attempt to catch it, and a common South American lancehead (Bothrops atrox) was killed by the Ashaninka.

José Padial and his team have established camp in the remote Vilcabamba mountains of Peru in the pursuit of biodiversity research. He blogs and sends photos as often as possible capturing his expedition along the way. These photos were taken during the week of 2/7-2/11/16.