MAKE A CHANGE

help us protect the Peruvian Amazon in Tambopata by becoming a volunteer

Become A Volunteer In The Amazon

The Tambopata National Reserve is strategically located within a natural corridor of protected areas between Peru and Bolivia, becoming part of the largest biodiversity corridor on the planet. But like the entire Amazon basin, it is exposed to different dangers such as illegal logging, forest fires due to clustering, and illegal mining, among others. Become a volunteer and help us to continue exploring and discovering the biodiversity of the Peruvian Amazon jungle and thus have the tools to continue protecting it.

where are the research stations located?

Wired Amazon has settled in 4 research centers, Ñape Lodge, Posada Amazonas, Refugio Amazonas, and the Tambopata Research Center (TRC). All focused on research and ecotourism. Powerful allies for the conservation of forests. However, the volunteer program only takes place at TRC. Through the scientific research projects that you will be part of, you will help us determine the biodiversity and population health of different species in the area and deliver important information to the Tambopata National Reserve and with this help meet its conservation objectives of the various ecosystems.

what will you do as a volunteer in the amazon

Under the leadership and supervision of the field director, you will participate in three unique projects of great impact on the preservation of forests. Your days will be like no other. Without your help, we cannot do it. Note as a volunteer you will need: Some projects require getting up at dawn and others staying late into the night. You must be orderly and very clean Be empathetic and proactive Walk along the designated paths and do not leave or delay the team. You will carry out face-to-face or virtual conversations with our guests and the community about the challenges and opportunities of the development of these projects, raising awareness about the importance of forest preservation. ABOVE ALL: Follow the instructions of the resident biologists

For Discovering New Species:

Every day at dusk, 20 minutes walking from the shelter, you will install light traps for the investigation of tigers and other species of tiger moths and other groups of insects. After breakfast, you will help with the preparation of the samples collected the night before which are sent to the project leader. You will process the selected samples that go to Barcoding and fill out the database before being sent to the Natural History Museum of San Marcos University. At the end of the month, you will help to prepare the samples to be sent to the museum and update the pictures of the daily collect.

For AmazonCam Tambopata:

2 times a week you will collect a set of trap cameras or stations and place a new one. You will classify the images by discriminating those of the best quality to be sent to the lead scientist of the project or to the citizen scientist who placed the previous station. Every 3 months we will collect the memory cards from the big grid stations which we will add to the database that is sent to the project leader for the monitoring of the population of the mammals  

For Aerobotany:

You will accompany the field director during the twice-monthly monitoring of Brazil nut trees using a micro-copter drone, where you will assist in launching and landing the drone from different locations in the rainforest around Refugio Amazonas. One of these is the platform atop a 40m tall canopy tower, where you can gaze down upon the canopy and spot native rainforest birds and arboreal animals while the drone does its work overhead! You will help download and organize the canopy images collected by the drone. With plenty of practice, you will soon become an expert at classifying the images and contribute your observations as "gold standard" references for the project. In March each year, you will be part of the team of "castañeros" that records the collection of fallen castaña fruits around 140+ Brazil nut trees in the rainforest around Refugio Amazonas that are being monitored year-round by the drone. These on-the-ground production data are a critical element of the Aerobotany project - by combining these data with the observations of fruits in drone-captured canopy images, we will create a predictive model that will help Brazil nut collectors across the Madre de Dios region in their planning and logistics, and improve their efficiency. In addition, you will walk the trails of Refugio Amazonas once a week to monitor the nest of Elpis, the harpy eagle.

For 8 Primates - NEW

You will have the exciting opportunity to train in techniques in primatology, animal behavior, and bioacoustics while working on a comprehensive study of the bioacoustics and communication of eight Neotropical primate species in the Tambopata National Reserve, using cutting-edge technologies and methods. You will be collecting and analyzing audio recordings, that will help to generate an extensive calls library for each species to develop classifiers and algorithms to detect species in remote recordings. You will assist in collecting crucial data on group composition, spatial patterns, and call rates to better understand primate behavior and communication patterns. Your contributions will be essential for the analysis and interpretation of new remote audio recorder surveys and the monitoring of primate populations and biodiversity in human or climate-impacted forests. Joining this project will provide you with a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in field research and contribute to the advancement of primatology and wildlife conservation

For the Tambopata Macaw Project:

The date to be released soon

 

the highlights of becoming a volunteer in the Peruvian Amazon

You will explore the Amazon with a local team and experienced scientists for the conservation of its forests

You will experience living far from home in a developing country

You will learn and be part of the local culture and nature

Collect, observe, and analyze data in the field and learn about the natural habitats of tiger moths.

Tour the pristine forests of the buffer zone and within the Tambopata National Reserve

Learn about the Amazon fauna

Gain skills in field research techniques, species identification, traps, GPS location, machete use, data entry and analysis, equipment maintenance, standardized and ethical methods of management and study of wildlife and its conservation

Meet like-minded people from around the world who are committed to preserving the forest through different means.

Help us protect the Tambopata National Reserve, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet.

HOW MANY DAYS CAN I VOLUNTEER IN THE AMAZON?

Become a volunteer and leave a positive footprint in the Amazon rainforests for 30 days Foreigners: USD $ 50 per day Peruvians: USD $ 40 per day Fixed departures on the 15th and 30th of each month. If you want to arrive any other day, the extra cost is USD 210.00 The costs cover your transfer to and from the research centers, complete meals, and accommodation at Researchers House. You can participate in the lodge's scheduled activities when you don't have project activities or previous coordination with the lodge resident manager. Transfers to the city are according to the availability of boats going to/from Puerto Maldonado. During your volunteer season, your guests visiting the lodges will have a 50% discount on our website rate.

who can participate

who can participate in the volunteer program

what else you should know?

We need your commitment to the responsibilities that will be delegated to you during your volunteering. We have limited satellite WIFI access in the common areas of the lodge and the researchers' house. Food is served in the Rainforest Expeditions team dining room Laboratory for researchers and volunteers where they can carry out their daily tasks. You will need to write a simple report at the end of your participation.

join the volunteer program in the amazon

Volunteer Reviews

  • Saskia Portman

    I enjoyed helping on all the projects whilst seeing some of the rarest wildlife the Amazon has to offer: a silky anteate...

  • Catalina Martinez

    I am very happy with the experience and incredibly grateful to have had both Gabriel and Hugo encouraging all of us to ...

  • Niall Auckland

    I had a positive experience with Wired Amazon; the opportunity to participate in several important and engaging projects

  • Isabela Arabia

    my experience at TRC was a positive one. The pristine condition of the forest and biodiverse wildlife around the lodge ...

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