Manu

Mosquito repellent and sunscreen were two of the essentials we needed to pack for this past weekend in the private reserve, Manu. Rubber boots and our swimsuits were a must also. We were packing for two days to observe the biodiversity in the rainforest. Our goal was to determine the water quality of a rainforest river by classifying the aquatic insects in the river. When we arrived in Manu we had some time to get settled in before our two hour hike in our rubber boots. The experience was amazing. We were accompanied by a guide from the reserve and his machete , two grad students to help us identify the insects, and a little dog who darted in and out of sight and seemed to be scouting out the path before us. The next day was an early day, breakfast at 6:30 and collecting water insects right after. We all split up in groups and took samples in various parts of the river. Our rubber boots didn't do much to keep us dry but it was all the more fun getting wet. We finished collecting our samples and made our way back to classify our insects. It was an amazing experience full of biodiversity and mud. This interactive experience was incredible and unforgettable. -SC