Two days in the Cloud Forest: Wayqecha Biological Research Station

From one type of forest to the next! After visiting Manu National Park, we moved up to the Cloud Forest visiting one of the area's biological research stations, called Wayqecha (meaning brother in Quechua). Wayqecha is the highest of three biological research stations near Manu run by ACCA (Conservation Amazonica), and it is part of the park's buffer zone. All three research stations are placed in different types of environments within Manu and in different altitudes (up in the cloud forest or down near sea level), and therefore are able to study, understand and witness the impacts of climate change in the whole of the Amazon basin. Because Wayqecha is located near the transition between the cloud forest and the puna grasslands, the scientists have access to both these ecosystems.

At Wayqecha, we met with the scientific team and learnt about a number of projects they have. But the main project that takes place in Wayqecha (and I think the most interesting one) is the Andean Bear Conservation project. The main aim of the project is to understand how the bears move, what they eat and how their diet is affected by climate changes and generally what they do in this very wide area, so that the scientists can make sure they can survive during climate change. To understand how the bears use the different environments (from down to sea level up to the puna grasslands), the scientists go on very remote expeditions and install camera traps but also by trying to track them.

The interesting bit was that they use many different ways to track the bears  - mainly they use camera traps but also use literal traps (to catch the bears in cages) and then put a tracker on them. But mine and Ismene’s personal favourite way to track bear was Ukuku! Who is Ukuku I hear you ask? Well, Ukuku is Wayqecha’s own conservation and research dog! We loved her! Ukuku is amazing, and has been trained to detect bear poo and track bears for the scientists and volunteers working on the Andean Bear project. We also thought that Ukuku is the perfect name for her, as it means Andean bear in Quechua. She was really friendly, and we loved to stroke her. She was always happy, running around for ever and ever. 

Unfortunately, when we were there, I got quite ill with a dodgy tummy so didn't do much apart from lying in bed or on the sofa in the dinning area while Ismene, Ioanna and Dan went to visit the reserve - including the amazing cloud forest canopy walk! So I'll hand over to Ismene so she can tell you all the things she learnt from meeting with the scientists: 

Hello everyone. These are the things I learnt about the Andean bear at Wayqecha:

• The Andean bear is also known as the spectacle bear and is vulnerable to extinction.
• The Andean bear is the only bear in South America and lives in the Andean Amazon region from lowland forests, puna grassland, dry forest and cloud forests. In Peru, bears live from sea level to almost 5000 meters
• It is an omnivore which means they will eat everything. They eat fruit, seeds, insects, and sometimes meat. But they don't eat meat often. They are mostly herbivores and they are very important for moving around seeds through the different environments they live in. Because the seeds they eat are not destroyed while they eat, they leave behind seeds in their poo which then grow again. Bears also break branches (because we all know how much they like rubbing on trees) which helps the light to come in the forest and that means that other trees can grow.
• The only easy way to tell one apart from the other is their facial markings.
• Ukuku is a shy bear who likes to live alone and is the least aggressive bear species in the world. 
• Male bears are great travellers and they move about a lot, which I guess makes tracking them very difficult for the scientists.
• Female bears give birth usually to two cubs who stay with their mum until they are one year old.
• The three main dangers that the Andean bear faces are the following:
• Climate change: Climate change is creating warmer temperatures in higher altitudes. Plants that would normally grow at lower altitude, now grow at higher levels and this may make it harder for bears to find the plants they need.
• Human conflict: Human-bear conflict is common where Andean bears live. As omnivores, these bears have been known to occasionally eat cattle and raid crops which prompts farmers to kill or hunt bears to protect their farms. Unfortunately, there is also a demand for cubs in the pet trade and for bear parts in traditional medicine which leads to poaching. The scientists told us that it is estimated that about 200 bears are poached every year.
• Habitat loss: As human communities have expanded in the tropical Andes, the habitat of the bear has been destroyed. Mining, oil extraction and building of roads and dams affects the Andean bear.

In order to help the bears, we need to reforest the cloud forest quickly!

Thanks Ismene. I also wanted to tell you a bit about the one last amazing thing we did before we left Wayqecha to go back to Cusco. We were recommended by everyone to visit a place called Tres Cruces where you can see this very beautiful and unique sunrise. To do this, we had to wake up early, and by early I don't mean 6 o'clock early. I mean 3 in the morning early! Apparently, this is a unique place to see the sunrise because you can see the sun rising up over the Amazon. As you are up on the puna grassland, at nearly 4,000m, you have an amazing view of the rainforest which stretches for miles and miles towards the horizon. 

Even though everyone had recommended it, I didn't think that it would be worth it especially given how tired and unwell I felt the day before. But, we did wake up at 3 o'clock and we did go despite the cold. And, I must say, I am so glad we did because it was totally worth it. It was an unforgettable experience to see the clouds hanging over the Amazon, lit up as the sun rose from the horizon from its blanket of clouds. There's an amazing optical illusion where you get to see more than one sun because the light gets bent by the moisture in the air from the Amazon. If you look closely at the photo above, you can see a second, and maybe a third, red sun appearing from under the clouds!

Here is a little video we took so you can see the sunrise in timelapse. Make sure you wait until the very end and focus on the clouds beneath. Can you spot the sun lighting them up from underneath?

If you want to learn more about Wayqecha then you can click here for more information, and if you would prefer to learn about the Andean Bear project then click here.

Bye from Ismene and Orestis.