​Field research is never without its difficulties. Consider the challenge part of an 'adventure package', a small price to pay for the experience of studying strange species, curious phenomena and for exploring one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Forget the million sweat bees swarming your face as you fumble around with fishing line, tying knots to hang a butterfly trap; I'm undeterred by the obstacle course we clamber through to reach our sites, hip-high logs, overhanging branches, swampy streams and mud that threatens to devour your entire leg, sharp, spiky, spiny plants at every corner set to trip or trap your clothing en-route to the butterflies. For me the hardest thing is this waiting game. Days of torrential rain make the road unpassable and our sites inaccessible. So we stay at camp, preparing all we can for the next sampling cycle, twiddling our thumbs and praying that the downpour might subside soon! 

During this psychological battle we have kept ourselves entertained with other things. I taught my first yoga class in Spanish for the ladies on camp the other day (which unsurprisingly they found very amusing!) and we've spent a few moments sitting by the river to watch, listen and admire nature in all its splendour. One of the workers found an atlas moth which was very exciting, largest species in the world, feast your eyes on this! 

¡Hasta lluego! 
Tish 

What a week it has been! Despite the unpredictable weather that makes the road unpassable for days at a time, we've managed to collect data on over 290 butterflies. From little stunners like Ancyluri to the grand and majestic Morpho, we've seen a range of species that is likely to extend as we make our way into the primary forest. 

Our plan for next week is to explore this area of untouched rainforest. We will then compare it to recently logged (2016/7) and previously logged (2013) parts of the concession to understand the dynamics of forest recovery. Over the next couple of years, Green Gold Forestry Group (GGF) plan to harvest timber from our selected primary forest sites, so our data could provide an excellent foundation for further research too. I am excited about the science as much as the wildlife we might see, and the thought that we could be the first people to set foot on that patch of soil.

In terms of wildlife, we've seen several jaguar tracks (one footprint the size of my hand!) as well as pink river dolphins 10 meters from where we were sat on the river bank, both equally overwhelming! 

One thing that I would like to mention over everything else is how grateful I am for the support we have received from GGF, who recently hired and delivered a 4x4 polaris for us to have more independence and better access to our sites, and to everybody working behind the scenes to make this project possible. I am excited for what data, discoveries and consequences come of our combined efforts, and to share this with you and a wider audience. 

Thank you, and I hope these little blogs are an enjoyable insight into what we are doing here in Peru.