The Lake Sandoval near Puerto Maldonado - Liebe zur Erde

The Fauna of the Sandoval

Puerto Maldonado is only reachable by air or by truck through a jungle road, which can last for 3 days or more, because the ways are in every point of view extreme. (2010 there was newly also a bus running from Cusco). In the area are still large nature reserves where one can find primary rain forest and where hunting (in theory) is prohibited. The Manu National Park is one of them and also the region of the Tambopata and the Lake Sandoval.

Even in the area of the lodge, which lies on a little hill overlooking the sea, rows of animals are observed. Hummingbirds do not visit only the flowers but also the sugar-water feeders, which are set up as a lure to bring joyful wonder to tourists - and for the birds a long-term diabetes.


Below: two times a hummingbird and agouti on the grounds of the Lodge

       




The Sandoval lodge is well run, food is plentiful and tasty. The rooms are all very clean, they have tidy bathrooms and electricity for some hours a day to turn the fan. But acoustical separated rooms in our sense are nowhere commanded in the jungle - the palm frond-roofed houses, with their high roofs completely under the umbrella open in order to promote the draft, so the rooms have no ceiling, but are consequently separated only by a dividing wall. An air conditioning systems is of course missing.



You get through the openness of the housesystem, which uses instead of glass windows only mosquito guaze, the feeling to sleep really right in the jungle - with all the sounds which penetrate directly and unfiltered.

The diversity of life and living around the lake is huge - animals, wherever you look. However, the usual scenario is this: the leader says: "look there ..." - and we see only green or water. It often takes minutes, until you have found what the leader wants to show one, we often have to stand directly behind each other to get the exact angle. Despite its colors, the animals are well protected in their environment and difficult to see. Only in Leticia we will learn to appreciate what diversity we had here to observe. The difference in specimes is in the after all also green secondary forest sustainable staggering.

Sandoval is home to the Giant Otter, which can grow to 2 meters lengh. We have missed them, but other travelers say that by the observation distance which is allowed they are hardly to see.


A trip to the world of the animals:

We have seen lots of monkeys, big and small. A whole herd moved past into the twilight just a couple meters away from us.
Many of the birds here I can´t specified any more, others do. We would be pleased if a knowledgeable one here comes along who wants to help us - on the contact page is a contact form inserted.

Bird Gallery:

The turtles are lined up behind each other. This lining up is a mark of the Tambopata region, says our guide -other animals do it also.




There are also crocodiles of all sizes.
We undertake a boat tour at night - with the flashlights it can be seen from a distance, where the caimans are in the water - their eyes light up red in the glow of the light.







Right here you can find something, but you have to search - right, bats. And true to the rule of the Tambopata, they behave and line up in a row, such as turtles, cormorants, and capybaras.


A special treat are the tarantulas, which are shown on a night hike around the lodge. We will see a dozen of these animals - they are stationary during the breeding season, so this was no trick of the leader.




Ants are famous, in masses and sizes. Termites are eatable, they taste - depending on the color - of peppermint or other treats like chocolate. The big anaconda we have missed - it wanted to eat the white bird. But in front of our boat, the huge animal went into hiding, and the white bird made it to its children (first picture in the bird gallery). In the previous week in the visitors block of the loge was one of the big poisonous snakes found and pulled out. Now they hope that there are no eggs stored ....



Last but not least the homage to the Brazil nuts: it refuses to get in proper time cultivated in the jungle. The trees bear fruit only after 60 year - nobody wants to wait that long with a result to investments. The result is that the regions where Brazil nuts are growing - so also at the Sandoval - are relatively protected and have not fallen victim to the massive deforestation. Moreover, the fruits are so extremely hard that only one animal, the agouti (see above) can crack the nut. In the huge sphere are 9-18 of the then by us known brazil nuts. Our small group had in spite of several young men and the highest effort to open the nut with a machete, real problems to get the single nuts from within.




The insect world, we provide on the page of Tambopata. For the vegetation there is the page to the primary rain forest. More animals we will see at the clay lick of the macaws, there are also the capybaras, monkeys, snakes and more. Dolphins are on the other side of the Amazon Basin, see under the "animals along the river".


     



We find the investment to come here has been worthwhile for us - the Sandoval is one of the most intense and beautiful memories of our long journey. Silence and the snugness of the lake make this place special to learn on a secure way about the rain forest and its inhabitants. The groups are usually conducted in manageable sizes, motor boats on the lake are not allowed, and everything will be paddled. - We would like to return to this place!