03/11/2017
From traversing the towering 344m-long / 30m-high Inkaterra Canopy Walkway with 8 platforms and 7 bridges, and exploring the Wetlands of the Tambopata Reserve to searching for Caiman lurking by the riverbank, travellers calling Inkaterra their home whilst in the Amazon have a menu of exhilarating and educational excursions to chose from. With a trek, boat ride and endless opportunities to spot native wildlife, there’s one excursion that should be on every traveller’s bucket list…
After pulling on their Wellington Boots and heading downstream by boat, explorers embark on a short trek through tree-covered pathways, studying plants, trees and insects with their trusty Inkaterra Explorer-Guide. Binoculars in hand, a short boat ride through swampy waters takes travellers to the enchanting Lake Sandoval – a mirror-like, oxbow shaped lake – with the hope of spotting an abundance of endangered species – from howler monkeys, giant river otters to the black caiman.
Lake Sandoval plays home to the endangered Giant River Otter, and is one of the last places in the world they still exist. The largest member of the weasel family, Giant River Otters can grow up to 6 ft (1.83m) long, and has webbed feet to help hunt, swim and move quickly whilst on land. Travellers watch from their rowing boat vantage point as the otters fish and frolic by the riverbank, usually in a group – these clever animals never hunt alone, due to their nemesis, the Black Caiman. Check out our recent sightings here, to find out more about the Giant River Otter.
GIANT RIVER OTTER
Plinio A. – Inkaterra Explorer Guide
The largest predator in the Amazonian ecosystem – preying on fish, reptiles, small mammals and birds – explorers will best spot the Caiman in the evening, using torchlight to illuminate their eyes, lurking above the water’s unbroken surface. Black Caiman can grow up to 16 ft (5m) and, as their name suggests, are dark black in colouration, making it easy for them to camouflage under the murky waters.
Did you know, Howler Monkeys are recognised as the loudest land animals in the world? In fact, their territorial ‘howl’ can be heard from up to three miles away through the dense rainforest! The characteristic noise comes from the unique enlarged hyoid bone in the throat of the monkey. Recently, during a tour of Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion, Explorer Guide Plinio came across a troop of Howler Monkeys overhead – find out more, here.
RED HOWLER MONKEY
Plinio A. – Inkaterra Explorer Guide
To find out more about Lake Sandoval, and the animals you can find there, please click here.
