Jariuba Amazon

This is a chance to explore where few people visit. The riverside forest supports many orchids and other epiphytic plants growing on trunks and branches of large trees. As well as admiring giant trees, focus on the minutiae—tiny moss and fungi and the vein patterns on rainforest leaves. Much of the Amazon wildlife, like mammals and secretive frogs, hide in the leafy greenery. Birds are a bit more obvious, especially the smaller birds, such as hummingbirds, that constantly move. Ants are important animals of the forest. Leaf cutter ants carry cutout pieces of leaves back to their nest to use to farm edible fungi. If we are lucky, we may spot army ants marching on the forest floor with attendant antbirds picking off insects. Turtles, caimans and even otters live in the water. Perhaps they are resting on the surface amongst floating vegetation or swimming out of sight. They breathe air, so look for them surfacing to take a breath or two. You may only see their nostrils and eyes. From the ship we can spot aerial activity as we cruise along the river by day. Yellow-billed and Large-billed Terns plunge into the river after fish. Overhead, swallows and swifts chase insects. At night, the shift changes and insectivorous bats seek insects at night over the water, trying to catch them with their wings or tail membranes. Flying insects may be attracted to lights on the vessel. Insects come in a variety of shapes and sizes reflecting their different lifestyles. The Amazon never rests, even if we do.