wish I were there! Sounds like quite an adventure! I hope I can hear more of your stories sometime. Thanks for the honest appraisal of the Amazon. I think I would have the same response to all those insects, Karina!
I enjoyed your Peru post. It reminded me of my time there. My blog is looking for travel photos and travel stories. If you have the time, email us some at dirtyhippiesblog@gmail.com or check us out at dirty-hippies.blogspot.com
Continued fun on your travels,
Eric
hey nick - will write more detailed response later but we are collecting TONS of data when we follow them, actually. we take GPS tracks of everywhere they go to determine homerange/overlapping territories, record and identify everything they eat, record resting/sleeping/feeding trees to determine tree frequencies, record all scent marking we see (marking using scent glands), take note of any aggression/conflict, and take scan samples every ten minutes for behavioral data (scan samples are basically where we write down all individuals we see and what they are doing at the time of the scan). Also, in our main FC group, we do focals which is where one of us is essentially focusing on only the twins for the entire duration of the follow - recording everything they do, all their interactions with adults and other members of the group, every little movement and vocalization they make. We dictate into a voice recorder because we wouldn't be able to write it down quickly enough (and then get to transcribe it later, yay!). So, long answer to your question but, yes, we collect loads of data during the follows!
Added to the last one Sorry Karina, there are a few things that I forgot to say. First is that its a bummer that you have to leave so soon, but it seems like you are just going to have another backpacking adventure in Peru before you get home. That sounds exciting!
Also, I can't wait for you to come to Boston and work at a yet-to-be-mentioned job. All we need is Julie to visit and we can have a mini reunion.
LOST has started and it its normal ridiculous self, but I feel like something is different or possibly missing. I probably just am not used to being bombarded with all this info and actual answers to questions. Don't worry though I am totally willing to watch all the episodes over again when you get back to the states.
As alwayss...stay classy.
Nick
Karina,
Forgive me for saying this, but what are you actually accomplishing by following these epicly mustachioed monkeys? I see the value when you catch them but what about the following? Are you mapping stuff to keep it conserved or learning what they eat? Maybe you could address the data that you collect and the analysis on the data in your next post.
Nick
p.s. The inferno sound completely miserable. Are you able to reuse the paths that you cut to make the traveling more easy next time?
Hi Catherine! Thank you so much for your kind words. It has been a truly amazing experience here in the Amazon, and I'll be sad to leave. But I'm very excited to see my dad and see some more of Peru! And, of course, I'm most excited about the chocolate! (Thanks for the heads up.) I hope all is well in Maine and that you are enjoying some beautiful spring weather!
-Karina
Nick! HII!! thanks so much for reading and commenting, you my boi. also the army ants are actually terrifying - even when you tear their bodies off, their mandibles still stay lodged in you. not ok. i have tried stomping them, it legitimately does not work somehow. I don't understand it. ahh i'm almost done with my time in the jungle, my dad's coming to visit on the 16th and then we head out on the 20th of april for a monthlong backpacking adventure around peru! i'll be home may 18th and hopefully employed in boston shortly thereafter. how's the job?? how is LOST? it hurts me that i'm missing it. i miss you lots, hope all is well and can't wait to see you soonish!
CBG Caller Monkey Extraordinaire Dear Katrina, hope this note finds you well. I work with your father and enjoy your blog very much. I look forward to it every week. Although I won't bother you with emails from someone you don't know, I just wanted to say that your a very brave young women to be there as long as you have!!! Your a wonderful writer, justed wanted you to know you have your own fan club at Togus!!! Hope you have a wonderful time with your dad, he's excited about coming to see you. Stay safe.
Sincerely
Catherine Maddox
Ps. I think he's bring chocolate !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best Comment Yet This is definitely my favorite update so far. I did enjoy the imaginary jaguar one, but this one has pictures, making it so much better! That army ant swarm sounds a little terrifying. Couldn't you just put the tarp on top of them and start stopping? That would teach them a lesson. As an added bonus, you could give your caller some of the dead ants as a treat. Again, great update. Keep them coming. How long are you supposed to be staying again?
... Im glad you got to escape the jungle for a while and have some of the finer pleasures in life (chocolate, a nice bed, and booze)
I am curious about the caller monkey and where they come from. Does someone just have callers in captivity somewhere that they loan out to everyone else, or are they special in some way? Im just wondering why you had to go all the way to the city to get a monkey that you then would take back into the jungle to attract more monkeys. It sounds like some equipment that you should have already had at camp or something. What about that little baby that you said the camp brought in recently? Would that work?
Yea!! I love your Legends of the Hidden Temple reference! Sounds epic..though I really think you need to get over your obsession with bullet ants...mis amigos!!!
Hey Julie! The knee is holding up remarkably well, I'm very pleased (tell Dr. Brown thank you again!) and am having a really great time. HOpe all is well back in Maine and that it's not too cold!
Margaret! Hi! I'm so glad to hear the rest of your trip went well and that you saw some neat birds. Bit of a bummer about the sleeping bag, but at least you managed to stay warm! The monkeys here are still great, but the weather not so much - we were rained out the last three days and just returned to the field today! But I hope all is well with you and thanks so much for reading my blog!
Leticia! Hiii!!! Thanks so much for reading the blog and commenting. HOw are you?! I'm REALLY sad that I won't be able to make it to BA to visit you while I'm in South America...did you get to meet up with Will ever?? I hope so. But i miss you lots and you better not forget about our New YOrk City reunion! (coming up soon, I think!)
hello from OA Glad to know your knee is not stopping you from climbing, crawling and treking through the jungle. Sounds like you are having an "experience of a lifetime".
Stay safe,
Julie
Tamarin talk Hi! It was great to read about our jungle friends. I wish I'd had more time to observe them when I was there! The continuation of our journey went reasonably well, but flexibility was a must. We made at least three changes in our itinerary, and were stunned to learn that we needed sleeping bags (which we didn't have) for several of the nights. Our guide lent us his blanket which we shared and thus kept warm! Also, the promised power on those three nights never materialized. Ah well, we saw some neat birds and great countryside. The llamas, alpacas, and vicunas were also fun to watch.
I hope you're all continuing to do well and enjoying your work!
Margaret
DP? It was nice of you to explain what a GP was because I wouldn't have guessed right. I do want to point out that you referenced it to a DP, which I have heard as a porn term and not in any other sense. Because I know you are wondering what I mean now, the only thing that I have heard a DP refer to is a double penetration, and if that is what you are watching monkey's do you have some problems. (Note-you may want to edit/delete this post before allowing everyone to see it)
On my end things are going well but I recently have come to the conclusion that I am spending way to much time and money trying to amplify and then sequence these three parts of an interesting gene at work. The PCR is of course acting up and it has been a major pain to trouble shoot it. Sounds vaguely familiar...
Keep the stories up!
Nick
readers Hey, Just wanted to tell you that everyone here in the cardiology section reads your entries. I run a tight ship so they don't have a lot of time to write comments.
Hey, sounds like a good time. Have any of the large animals made it into camp or are the chiggers and mosquitoes the worsy of the bunch. Don't the monkeys hang out around the Commodore ? They must know that there's food there. Then again, they're probably really good at finding stuff to eat and are not at all jealous of what you guys put in your stomachs. Have they put up any signs yet "DON"T FEED THE HUMANS" for fear that you'll start to rely on them to bring "the good stuff." Or, worse, they're the ones providing the rice in an effort to discourage more visitors.
Your description of the russians is almost typical-----they usually drink more than that.
hi Karina! amazing story.. not only because of the objective facts u mention but also because of the thrill that u transmit in the narration.
Even if u "listen jaguars" pretty often, it is great to hear that u havent been in real danger so far.
I agree with Nick, long stories are better.
love from the south of south america.
let.
hahah nick i miss you so much. your comments make me so happy and i can now add ninja deer to the list of things that terrify me. i do really wish kappy was here because clearly he is the weak link and would inevitably be the one eaten. also i am so happy to hear that your job is awesome and i can't wait to actually hear about it in person when i get back! hopefully we can be boston buddies. keep in touch!! (and yes i counted you as one of the two who reads my blog, the other being my dad. actually i'm not even sure he reads it, it's fine.)
back in the BoBo woods... I hope that I count as one of those two people who you claim read this. Also, I think that the posts should be longer not shorter. Shorter means less stories and less info. I want to hear about everything.
Its not the Jaguars that you need to look out for...its the deer/mountain lions. With all those trees for cover, every step could lead to a ninja deer attacking from the tree tops. You should know this we are supposed to be expert deer trackers after all. And if push comes to shove (in that a Jaguar does appear and you are forced to push and shove people out of your way in your attempt to get away) you can always push/trip Kappy down so that the Jaguar gets him first. Just like proposed with the mountain lions and the ninja tree deer. In case of Kappy not being there to lay down (get it you pushed him over!) his life to save yours, you can always find a ... friend (perferable not one you will need... and not your roommate who keeps you sane) to 'help' (fall as you trip them and run by).
Best of Luck and keep the updates coming!
Nick
Beth from Bowdoin
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wish I were there!
Sounds like quite an adventure! I hope I can hear more of your stories sometime. Thanks for the honest appraisal of the Amazon. I think I would have the same response to all those insects, Karina!