In the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, still water perfectly reflects its surroundings: a jungle alive with singing birds and calling mammals. In the July-August issue of Audubon magazine, you can find the story of my adventure in the five-million acre forest, where close to 500 bird species and a spectacular blend of wildlife color the landscape.
To see more pictures of the locale not featured in the article, read on.
Reserve rangers construct sandboxes where they incubate yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle and Amazonian turtle eggs until they hatch. The rangers remove the eggs from river beaches to prevent poaching.
Local Cocama-Cocamilla Indians use the tributaries as their highways, carrying their wares to the city of Iquitos.
Communities live in traditional structures located near shore.
Magalay Rengifo weighs a juvenile caiman, one of many species that is making a comeback in the reserve.
Only accessible by boat, the reserve attracts a few thousand visitors a year. For images of Amazon river dolphins taken by Kevin Schafter, click here.