Herping in the Madre De Dios Region

On this first-of-its-kind expedition, we'll not only learn about the impending threat of illegal resource extraction in the amazon, but the trip will be extremely focused on tracking down some of the Amazon's most cryptic and elusive lifeforms- Reptiles & Amphibians (Herps). We call searching for them "Herping" and as a group we'll dive into the jungle every night to find, photograph, and appreciate as many of them as possible. Diversity trumps quantity in the jungle, so we'll see new kinds of herps every single night- many either undescribed or understudied. We'll do early morning walks as our cold-blooded friends bathe in the soft sunlight and search for all 4 species of caiman in the region by boat. 

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the expedition will be a consistent, committed and muddy search for the unrivaled king of the jungle- the Green Anaconda. Anacondas can grow up to 20 feet and are the heaviest snakes on the planet. While able to attain massive sizes, they're incredibly hard to find, imperiled in the region due to habitat loss, climate change, and local myths & legends leading to uneducated killings. We'll have access to pristine Anaconda habitat of which many behemoths have been spotted in the past, and will work our hardest as a team to get a once in a lifetime look at these apex predators. 

One more notable snake in the area we'll search for is the Bushmaster, another cryptic predator often residing in primary rainforest and Brazil Nut concessions. They're the 2nd largest venomous snake in the world, and maybe the closest we can get to seeing dragons in real life. We'll also hold extensive and fun wildlife photography workshops to help those interested in best capturing the beauty of these animals attain the most awe-inspiring shots as possible. Buckle up!

Our guide Ian Breland will be leading you through this special ecosystem to focus on finding and documenting as many snake species as you can during your stay. There will be night walks and day walks. There will be log flipping, and palm tossing, we will do what it takes to reveal the incredible reptile and amphibian diversity the Western Amazon has to offer.

Our team has rated this expedition as moderate: expect to do activities throughout the expedition. You should be in good health and physically active. Daily activities may include hiking, boat rides, swamp exploration, wildlife viewing and more.

Expedition Team
Your Expedition leader, Ian Breland, is a Wildlife Filmmaker and Conservation Photographer with a burning passion for helping show others the Amazon's infinitely biodiverse ecosystems and the bottomless depths of adventure that the jungle provides. He is a reptile and amphibian specialist, with years of experience in the relentless pursuit of the ones that call the Peruvian Amazon home. Throughout his career Ian has amassed a wealth of knowledge and curiosity regarding all kinds of Neotropical flora & fauna, and will learn alongside you as we push forward into the unknown.

Ian will accompany you from Puerto Maldonado to the jungle and back. He will help you learn and appreciate the treasures the rainforest has to offer, he will be your guide to discover the flora and fauna all around you throughout the trip.

Also joining the trip (for April/May 2024) is Holly O'Donnell, a Scottish conservation biologist with 9 years of experience working as a researcher and guide in the Peruvian Amazon. Her work has taken her to Paraguay, Zimbabwe, Ecuador and Antarctica. Currently a PhD candidate at the University of Oxford, Holly specializes in large mammal and carnivore research. She has a particular interest in understudied and little-known species such as the short-eared dog. Holly also has a passion for reptiles and amphibians and is known as our “frog queen”. You will see her disappear off-trail during night walks and return with frogs from seemingly nowhere.

Transportation
We have arranged all of your transportation needs during your stay from the moment we leave the hotel to go the jungle and back. From the airport to our hotel in Puerto, or when spending time on your own in Puerto Maldonado, your expedition leader will happily recommend convenient transportation options.

Not included: