The Amazon Research Center Experience

Bringing Science to Life

The Amazon Research Center Lodge (ARC) is formally recognized by the organization CONCYTEC (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación) as an official Research Institution. CONCYTEC is the official Peruvian governmental organization in charge of generating and promoting the scientific and technological development of Peru. For many years, the facilities of the ARC have offered unique opportunities for scientists, students, and interested travelers to participate in scientific investigations in the Amazon Rainforest. Dozens of scientific publications have been generated on subjects ranging from anthropology to forestry to zoology

The location of the lodge is in more pristine, undisturbed forest. It is the only existing man-made structure in the million acre ACRCTT conservation zone. The nearest human habitation is over 15 km distance. The ecological diversity and species diversity is greater than that found at the main lodge, although from each lodge one can find a number of interesting species not found at the other lodge. 

History

 

The Amazon Research Center (ARC) Peru Lodge was launched in 2007, as a long-term conservation initiative undertaken in consultation with government offices in Iquitos, Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, the Missouri Botanical Garden, Chicago Botanical Garden, and the Tahuayo River communities Comite de Gestion.

The ARC is within a national conservation reserve, the Area de Conservacion Regional Comunal Tamshiyacu Tahuayo (ACRCTT). It is a 1 million acre (445,000 ha) uninhabited reserve. A Rapid Inventory study by the Field Museum, as well as other independent studies have described the ACRCTT as having the greatest biodiversity yet documented in a lowland Amazonian forest. Over 100 species of non-volant mammals, 16 species of primates and over 600 species of birds have thus far been documented.

Trail Grid

The centerpiece of the ARC research facilities is the Trail Grid system. Located behind the Research Center Lodge, it contains approximately 52 miles (84 km) of trails spread over more than 1000 acres (2200 ha) and slicing through four different ecosystems. It is the largest scientific trail system offered in the Amazon. Many more miles of trails radiate out from the grid. Twelve species of primates have significant populations on the grid. Some 50 additional species of mammals are found, including apex predators such as jaguar and puma. While about half of all research takes place at the ARC on the trail grid, other research opportunities utilize the many lakes and rivers, native communities downriver and other unique ecosystems found near the main tourism lodge. Click here for a map of forest ecosystems represented on the trail grid.

Active Research Projects

Wildlife population study – inventory of population data on key species. The data collected includes date, time, species, GPS location, nearest grid coordinate, group size, perpendicular distance from the nearest individual of the group to the trail, distance surveyed, and transect code.

Camera traps are used to collect data on many terrestrial species and attempts are now ongoing to explore drone camera technology on arboreal species.

Primate Research – Current research on primates is helping to safeguard the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo’s spectacular primate fauna: 16 species representing every South American primate family and spanning the continent’s range of body size. Primate census of the trail grid was initiated in 2007 and continues to the present time. Students and tourists can choose to assist in the census or in habituation of particular social groups of each of six large-bodied species of monkeys.

Saki Monkey Project

Saki Monkey Project – Together with biologist Janice Chism we are investigating a possibly undescribed species of saki monkey that lives in flooded forests along the Tahuayo River. Since 2008 we have been observing 4-5 groups of sakis which live in the area covered by the trail grid at the Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center. We are trying to put together a photographic atlas of the sakis so we can document how many individuals are in each group, the identity of these individuals and any demographic changes in the groups (such as birth of babies, departure of maturing offspring, or changes in male or female membership). We are also trying to document the facial patterns of these monkeys because this is how we will figure out whether they are a new species or one that is known to science but hasn’t been reported in this area before

 

All our guests who visit the Research Center are invited to participate in this research by sharing any photos you are able to take of the saki monkeys.

Our biologist Malika Gottstein works fulltime on the project observing saki groups in the trail grid and along the rivers around the Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center. Sakis are among the least studied monkey genera worldwide and the exact species classification, as well as ecology and behavior are not yet known. Our research projects seeks to resolve the taxonomical uncertainty of saki monkeys in the Northern Peruvian Amazon by conducting genetical and morphological analysis of the saki population. We are first to investigate feeding ecology of the Monk Saki, as well as movement patterns and social grouping.

Would you like to help? If you have an opportunity to photograph these monkeys we would really like to know the following:

When did you take the photo?

We will need the month, day and year the photo was taken.

Where did you take the photo?

If you are on the trail grid, the coordinates of the nearest grid node are fine (for example, D19, or between B5 and B6). If you have a GPS unit with you and can get a reading that is also great. If you see the sakis while you are on the river again a GPS reading is ideal. It is often easier to get a good reading on the river than in the forest. No GPS? Ask your guide for helpful landmarks.

How many sakis did you encounter?

Your guide will be really helpful here as well. Guides often see monkeys that we miss.

 

Extra Credit Points

Was there anything that struck you or your guide as interesting or unusual about this encounter? For example, were the sakis hanging out with another species of monkey or maybe having a fight with another group of sakis?

Do we have permission to use your photos

By taking part in this project and supplying us with the photo we assume you are willing to allow us to use the photo in our research. Are you also willing for us to publish your photo in a scientific paper? If you give us permission to publish the photo we will always credit you as the photographer. Thank you for being willing to participate in this project. Your photos will be enormously helpful to us in figuring out which species of sakis are in this area and following the demographic changes in our study group when we can’t be there ourselves.

Primate Species

Please view our Primates page for more information about all of the species of primates in this region, but below is a list of primates you can see: 

Monk saki

In addition to the Monk Saki, the ACRCTT possibly has another species of saki monkey not known in the area. The saki populations around our Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center are the subject of our fulltime ongoing research project. Both morphs of saki monkeys can frequently be found around the ARC. Sakis live in family groups of 2-7 individuals, have small home ranges and only move short distances. They are very shy and cryptic, but can often be observed resting at the river side or during their early morning activity hours in the trail grid behind the ARC.

 

Pygmy Marmoset

Cebuella pygmaea

 

Tamarins

Saguinus fuscicollis and Saguinus mystax

 

Titi Monkeys

Callicebus cupreus

 

Squirrel Monkeys

Saimiri macrodon

 

Saki Monkeys

Pithecia monachus

 

Capuchins

Cebus albifrons and Sapajus macrocephalus

 

Red Faced Uakari

Cacajao calvus ucayalii

 

Red Howler Monkey

Alouatta seniculus

 

Woolly Monkey

Lagothrix lagothricha poeppigii

 

Black Spider Monkeys

Ateles chamek

Additional ongoing research projects are investigating pygmy marmoset feeding mutualism, pink dolphin social behavior and native community resource use. Recent research has also focused on describing new species of poison dart frog, harlequin toad, damselflies and caddis flies, snail species rapid inventory (possible new species and genera), archaeology (age of first settlements), pygmy squirrel ecology, Bald Red Uakari ecology (one of the rarest primates in the world, living only in the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Conservation zone and reserve buffer zone), manatees, soil ecology, carbon dioxide exchange in palm swamp ecosystems, and bird diversity.

Novel research proposals are invited.

Estefani Mishel Maytahuari

Mishel got her degree in tourism from Nauta Institute in 2016. After working as a guide with other companies, Mishel came to study with Amazonia Expeditions as a training guide in 2023. Mishel was promoted to head guide in 2025.

Leyner Arian Ijuma

Leyner got his degree as a tour guide in 2010 at the Nauta Institute and came to work at Amazonia Expeditions in 2021. He was promoted to head guide in 2023. He has biological field work experience from supporting Nicholas Gardner of the University of Florida who he helped study the adaptations of birds in seasonally flooded igapo forests. Birding is one of Leyner's strongest skills.

Julio Pacaya

Julio finished his studies as a tour guide at the Nauta Institute in 2016 and came to work as a training guide with Amazonia Expeditions in 2021. He was promoted to head guide in 2023. Nature photography and birding are among Julio's strongest skills. Julio is fluent in English and French, as well as his native tongue of Spanish.

Claudio Huayllahua Sánchez

Claudio was born and grew up in El Chino Village on the Tahuayo River. He studied primary school in El Chino and continued his education in Iquitos, earning a technical degree from SENATI Institute. He started working for Amazonia Expeditions in 2014 as a field research assistant with several biologists and as an assistant guide. Claudio was promoted to head guide in 2017 and is our camping and jungle survival specialist.

Hersog Chavez Yuyarima

Hersog first got the idea of becoming a guide after watching the tourist boats going by his village every day. He was fascinated that tourists would come to see his home and he loved the way that the guides he saw did their work. He knew that someday he wanted to be just like them. Hersog studied at technical school for 3 years leaning the basics of guiding. After graduating, Hersog worked as a guide for several years working with Peruvian tourists, later coming to work for Amazonia in 2017. Hersog was promoted to head guide in 2019. He has worked as a field research assistant in the study of the elusive pygmy marmoset. Hersog is known for his sharp eyes and his unique stories about the jungle.

Lander Juan Peña Ramirez

Lander was born in the remote jungle community of Santa Victoria. His boyhood dream was to become to best jungle guide in the Amazon. Lander studied at a local institute for several years where he learned basic English and the foundations of the being a tour guide. Later he worked for several years at other jungle loges as a guide, honing his skills as a survival camping guide. Lander came to work for Amazonia Expeditions in 2017 and along with a strong interest in birding and fishing is also one of our lead camping and survival guides.

Aladino Jr. Hidalgo

Aladino was born and raised in El Diamante Village along the Blanco River and attended school in the community of “Valentin” on the Tahuayo River. During this period, Aladino worked with his father as a trailblazer, assisting primate researchers who came to study at a local field station. Afterwards, he moved to Lima where he worked for several years while studying guiding & English. Upon returning in 2019, he was hired by Amazonia as a field assistant and actively supported researchers studying giant river otters, pygmy marmosets, and various bird species. He then joined Amazonia Expeditions as a guide assistant and was later promoted to head guide in 2022.

Jhony Hidalgo

Jhony was born and raised in El Diamante Village along the Blanco River. He attended primary school in his home village and high school in the community of “Valentin” on the Tahuayo River. Jhony later pursued further studies in Iquitos, where he obtained a guide degree from the Milagro Fe & Alegria Institute. After graduating, he worked at the Amazon Rescue Center in Iquitos (CREA), guiding visitors to the center. In 2021 he joined Amazonia Expeditions as a guide assistant and was promoted to head guide in 2023.

Sila Hidalgo

Sila was born and raised in El Diamante Village along the Blanco River. She attended primary school in Diamante village and high school in the community of “El Chino” on the Tahuayo River. Her family moved to El Chino so Sila could attend high school, as it was the closest village offering secondary education. Later, Sila joined our Angels (AoA) scholarship program to further her education in Iquitos, where she earned a guide degree from the Milagro Fe & Alegria Institute. She completed her internship at Tahuayo Lodge. After graduating, Sila began her career with Amazonia Expeditions as a guide assistant and was promoted to head guide in 2022.

Welister Perez

Welister grew up in the small community of Padre Cocha just outside of Iquitos City. He lived there for most of his life, and later worked at several jungle lodges before starting at Amazonia Expeditions. Welister has proven himself as both a talented jungle man and team player with an eagle eye for spotting wildlife. After several months of training with Amazonia he was promoted to a head guiding position in 2017.

Javier Anibal Alván Arévalo

Javier has worked at the Amazonia Expeditions lodges for 10 years, starting as a young teenager as an assistant in building repair, then moving up to motorboat pilot, then camping assistant and assistant guide, and after passing his guide exams with high grades was promoted to head guide in 2014. Javier is also our Canopy Zipline specialist and has taken professional certification classes in Costa Rica. Javier is also a fishing specialist and is beloved by families with children.