点评:Tapiche Jungle Reserve's primary focus is its turtle conservation project, which begins each year once the water recedes and exposes the nesting beaches. Since my visit took place in May, I wasn't able to participate directly in the turtle work. Instead, they found other ways for me to contribute: I painted signs, captured photos and videos for social media and a newsletter, monitored camera traps for signs of poaching activity, designed and wrote the reserve's very first newsletter, and even prepared a dinner for the group.
But my time there was more than simply lending a hand — it was a fully immersive experience. Deep in the rainforest, I was surrounded by the sights and sounds of wildlife at every turn. Saki monkeys made their home on the property, alongside a rich variety of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects. On daily boat trips, both with guests and without, we regularly spotted wildlife along the riverbanks, including the elusive uakari monkey. Since much of the forest was flooded, we traveled primarily by boat, occasionally wading through knee-deep water to explore areas the boat couldn't reach.
One especially memorable day, we visited a local village about an hour's boat ride from the reserve to meet with the chief and discuss the potential for a community-based eco-tourism project.
What struck me most was how modest the cost of the program was, especially compared to other volunteer projects that profit heavily from their participants. The three daily meals were wonderful, with fresh fruit and cookies available around the clock. On days when we expected to be out for extended periods, we often packed our meals to eat on the boat — finding a spot on the water, or a dry patch of ground, to enjoy lunch became part of the adventure itself.
I loved every minute of being there and especially enjoyed working with the staff and meeting a lot of very interesting guests.
翻译:塔皮切丛林保护区的重点工作是海龟保护项目,该项目每年都在水位退去、产卵沙滩显露出来后便开始实施。由于我是在5月份到访的,因此未能直接参与海龟保护工作。不过,保护区的工作人员为我安排了其他贡献方式:我绘制了指示牌,为社交媒体和通讯刊物拍摄照片与视频,还监测摄影陷阱以发现盗猎活动的迹象;此外,我还设计并撰写了该保护区有史以来的第一份通讯刊物。我甚至还为众人准备了晚餐。
不过,我在那里的时光并不仅仅是帮个忙那么简单——那是一次完全沉浸式的体验。身处热带雨林深处,四周处处都是野生动物的身影与声响。萨基猴把这里当作栖息地,此外还有种类繁多的鸟类、两栖动物、爬行动物和昆虫。每天我们都会乘船出行,无论是否带着游客同行,都能在河岸边经常看到各种野生动物,其中包括极为罕见的乌卡里猴。由于大片森林区域都被水淹没,我们主要以乘船的方式出行;偶尔也会蹚着没过膝盖的积水,去探索船只无法抵达的地方。
有一次令我印象尤为深刻:我们乘船约一小时,来到保护区附近的一个村庄,与村长会面并探讨了开展社区生态旅游项目的可能性。
最让我惊讶的是,这个项目的成本竟然如此低廉。尤其是与其他能从参与者身上获得巨大收益的志愿项目相比,更是如此。每天提供的三餐都非常美味,而且随时都能吃到新鲜水果和饼干。在预计要外出较长时间的日子里,我们通常会打包食物带上船——在水面上找个地方,或者找块干燥的地面来享用午餐,这也成了冒险经历的一部分。我享受在那里的每一分钟,尤其喜欢与工作人员共事,还能结识许多非常有趣的客人。