FROM 2015 Jungle critter encounters

Stories

Top Jungle Critter Encounters in 2015 – Tambopata, Peru

Welcome to the Amazon Rainforest

I’ve been fortunate this past year to log so much time in the Amazon rainforest. It can be a tough environment for extended trips; it’s hot, you’re in a perpetual state of sogginess from the humidity and sporadic downpours, and there are bugs constantly attempting to withdraw your blood. With that being said, the Amazon rainforest is also an unbelievably amazing place, as the jungle hosts some of the most incredible views and creatures I’ve ever laid eyes upon. Below you’ll find a selection of my favorite jungle critter encounters from 2015, hope you enjoy them!

Pit Viper

Pit viper head in the AmazonFirst up, my favorite reptile encounter also happens to be the most potentially dangerous encounter. Credit goes to my girlfriend, Bri, who joined me in September and quite literally stumbled upon the Pit Viper, Bothrops atrox.

Pit viper side in the Amazon

Tapir

Commonly known as the lancehead, this snake claims the most lives each year in South America due to its deadly venom. We kept a safe distance while snapping photos until both us and the viper walked (and slithered, respectively) our separate ways.

Tapir along the Tambopata river

My favorite rare mammal has to be a toss-up between the Tapir and the Tayra. Both are quite elusive animals and are rarely seen, even by the locals. This counts as my second Tapir sighting – we were lucky to be so close as she was crossing the river at around 4:30 in the morning while we were on our way to the Chuncho clay lick in October.

Tayra

Tayra in the Peruvian Amazon

The tayra is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family. We spotted this one in October near the Posada Amazonas jungle lodge while he was sneaking around searching for discarded apples.

Jaguar

Jaguar in the river bank

While I have yet to spot a big cat in the wild, we have captured many amazing cats on a camera trap that I helped Jeff Cremer set up a few months ago, including Jaguars, Pumas, and Ocelots.

Tentacled Caterpillar

Up next are my favorite bugs (of course). The Amazon rainforest contains the most species of insects on the planet, so as an entomologist it’s really hard to play favorites. My top 3-way tie is surprisingly all caterpillars! I never considered myself to be a butterfly/moth guy, but the Amazon has quickly changed that. There seems to be no end to how strange caterpillars come in shape, size, color, and behavior in the jungle.

In March 2015, I accidentally stumbled upon a caterpillar that would become one of my most popular critter stories. We called it the «tentacled caterpillar», as it had four tentacle-like structures on its back that would «pop out» when alarmed by the sound of our voices (no, seriously).

Next up, in my opinion, is one of the coolest discoveries I’ve come across in the rainforest. Several months ago, I found a tree with bizarre yellow outgrowths. Upon closer inspection, I realized there were caterpillars munching on these yellow «bulbs» and ants was taking care of the caterpillars.

Immediately, I knew this had to be an unusual observation and indeed, it turned out to be a never-before-seen relationship and life history for a rare butterfly.

Slug Moth Caterpillar

slug caterpillar in the Amazon

Finally, we have the slug moth caterpillar. Not a very attractive name for a beautiful insect larva. Spotted in May near the Posada Amazonas lodge, I can only imagine what purpose the groovy color pattern serves.

holding_foldscope_3

My favorite tiny critters have been viewed through a handheld origami-style microscope that I was fortunate to test out in the Amazon rainforest starting in March 2015. Known as the Foldscope, we’ve observed all sorts of strange and interesting animals and structures belonging to the microcosmos including butterfly wing scales and unknown mite species.

Harpy Eagle

Harpy eagle chick in the Peruvian Amazon
My favorite bird encounter has to go to the Harpy Eagle. These amazing apex predators are rare to spot in the wild, let alone view one of their nests. In May, Jeff and I climbed 100 feet up into the canopy to photograph and film the chick before it left the nest.

Parrots

Macaws and parrots at the claylick in Tambopata
I would be remiss if I didn’t include a photo of the incredible gathering of macaws and parrots at the clay licks. No other place in the world like this!

Clathrus Ruber

fungus at Tambopata

My favorite fungus award goes to none other than the weird Clathrus ruber, which looks like something a 3-D printer messed up.

Butterflies drinking Turtle tears

 

Finally, my favorite strange animal interaction has to be butterflies drinking turtle tears. They mob the unsuspecting turtles likely to gain extra nutrients such as sodium.

Overall, it has been a busy and incredible year, to say the least. I owe a huge thanks to Rainforest Expeditions and the ecotourism that makes all of this work possible. While this post was about my favorite critter encounters, the people who joined me make these trips truly special. I’ve been joined by friends, family, researchers, science writers, photographers, and more, making every trip unique.

So last but not least, here’s a quick shout-out to my favorite human critters of 2015.

Filming the harpy eagle nest
Filming the Harpy Eagle Nest with Jeff and Frank in May.

Exploring Tambopata river shore 2Last but not least, closing out December with Christina and Derek.

 

Thanks for reading! You can follow me for more updates on Twitter @AaronPomerantz

By Aaron Pomerantz

  • What our guest say

    • Valuation Excellent
    • 5/5

Maria Carrero June 2026

Lauren Kuenstner June 2026

Adam C June 2026

Perry Killam June 2026

Brad Taylor-White June 2026

Sue_szb April 2026

Beam May 2026

David Staro May 2026

Serg Averkin April 2026

Carlotta May 2026

Asha S May 2026

Laurence W April 2026

We stayed last february for 4 nights in the TRC lodge. I never could have imagined that I would explore the amazon in such confortable and immersive way. The lodge itself is such a luxurious place, in the middle of nowhere! The food was nicely curated everyday to offer new bits and pieces of the Peruvian cuisine. The absolute highlight of our stay here was for sure the activities and our guide Carmen, who accompanied us everyday! We were able to choose our everydays activities with our very reduced group and our guide. Carmen guided us on very activity, spotting and explaining what animals we saw and interesting facts about our surroundings. Her knowledge and excitement were so infectious that it would even make the sightings even more special! Read all

One of the most unique experiences we’ve had! You are deep in the heart of the Amazon and truly feel immersed in nature. Our guide Dino was awesome and taught us so much about the rainforest-he is like a walking encyclopedia, and his love for the forest really shows. Also very unique to listen to nightly talks from the research team-it really adds to the experience. Food was great and staff very friendly. Bring lots of bug spray and an adventurous spirit! Read all

The lodge was fantastic; they were very attentive to our needs. The dining staff brought special bread for my wife because of her celiac disease and offered to prepare dishes specifically for her to meet her dietary needs. The lodge guides were truly knowledgeable and went out of their way to help us see all the local wildlife. I especially loved the mosquito net service they provided. I was worried we’d be eaten alive, but their setup is fabulous; I had no concerns once I saw how they installed the impenetrable nets and curtains. The meals were as good as—or better than—anywhere else we ate in Peru. We saw the following animals: macaws, parrots, parakeets, pale-winged trumpeters, tamarins, caimans, capybaras, and a ton of insects on our night hike. Read all

We had an excellent guide who was very knowledgeable about the local animals, birds, and plants. I learned a lot. We also participated in the Wired Amazon experience and just received the video clips of the animals that walked by - ocelots, agoutis, ... some amazing animals. It was fun to set up the camera traps, and now I'm inspired to get one for our backyard. Read all

Refugio Amazonas was one of the most memorable and immersive experiences of our entire trip to Peru. From the moment we arrived, it felt like we had entered a completely different world. Waking up to the sounds of the rainforest, exploring the Amazon with knowledgeable guides, spotting wildlife, and disconnecting from everyday life created an experience we will never forget. The guides and staff were exceptional throughout our stay. Everyone was warm, welcoming, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the rainforest and the guest experience. Their enthusiasm and expertise added so much to every excursion and activity. For this type of Amazon adventure, Refugio Amazonas felt top-tier. The wildlife experiences were remarkable, the setting was beautiful, and the overall level of immersion was exactly what we were hoping for when we added the Amazon to our Peru itinerary. Read all

Wow what an experience! If you want to be fully immersed in Amazon life in a wonderful , comfortable eco lodge, and not have expectations of a 5 star city hotel (I'm not sure why you would, but some reviewers seemed disappointed it wasn't!) you will love this. You will be in a group, 6 in ours, but you don't all have to do the same activities, you just join another group. Plenty of spaces to chill and downtime if you need it...its hot and humid! There's a fan in the room and I heard the superior rooms have a fan under the mozzie net. Take a torch! We were never bitten, used deet repellent only. They provide rubber boots if you want them, some of the trails were very muddy, but we managed in our walking boots. We loved the open wall to the jungle, despite some bugs, but not too many surprisingly. Sooooo much wildlife, all sorts of monkeys, otters, turtles, caiman, different birds, capybara etc. Luis M was our guide, a local, and he could spot a spider from 5 metres I'm sure... great sense of humour and a wealth of knowledge, loved him. We spent 3 nights 20th-24th April, it rained on a couple of occasions but not much. Perfect holiday for an immersive wildlife experience! Read all

Beautiful lodge in the rainforest, very well maintained and clean. We had a lot of fun and excellent guides. The rooms and facilities were top-notch! Read all

We stayed at Posada Amazonas Lodge in May 2026, and it was a truly unique experience. It’s important to note that the concept is unlike a traditional hotel: the rooms (the lodge has around 30 in total) are built entirely of wood and open completely to the rainforest, with no windows. The walls are about two meters high, and everything is open-air, meaning you can hear your neighbors as well as the sounds of the forest throughout the night. There is a hot-water shower with drainage flowing through wooden beams beneath the floor, and the beds are protected with mosquito nets. The food is delicious and nutritious, and one pleasant surprise was the excellent Wi-Fi connection (Starlink) available both at the lodge and on the boats. The logistics are flawless from the moment you land in Puerto Maldonado, including a short car ride (accompanied by a security company) followed by a forty-minute cruise along the Tambopata River. The staff is incredibly friendly. Our guide, Luis M. (a member of the local community that manages the lodge), was simply outstanding, with eagle-eyed vision for spotting wildlife and always wearing a smile. Tour highlights: Canopy Tower: a 42-meter tower rising above the treetops with panoramic views. We loved seeing the river, the rainforest, and even the distant Andes Mountains on the horizon. We returned at night during a nocturnal wildlife tour, where we spotted tarantulas, white sloths, and tree frogs. Lake Tres Chimbadas: a peaceful catamaran ride (without a motor) where Luis showed us a group of red-bellied monkeys, giant otters, and caimans. The scenery and tranquility are incredible. Trek to the “Great Tree”: a forest hike where we saw deer, jaguar tracks, a three-toed sloth, and more wildlife. At the end of the trail, we reached the gigantic ceiba tree: around 500 years old, approximately 60 meters tall, and with an impressive 11-meter base diameter. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience the true Amazon! Read all

An exceptional experience that truly exceeded all expectations. What impressed me the most is that here they genuinely want to make your stay as comfortable as possible — and that, to me, is what real high-level service is all about. The guide really tries to fill every excursion with emotions and memorable moments, turning simple activities into meaningful experiences. The kitchen team puts great effort into variety and introduces you to Peruvian cuisine — it feels like a small гастрономic journey. Housekeeping works like invisible bees — you don’t notice them, but everything is always perfectly taken care of. Another big highlight is the comfort level: stable electricity and surprisingly good internet both on the way and at the lodge, powered by Starlink. Having this level of connectivity in the middle of the jungle is something truly special. From reception and the bar to the boat driver — everyone is genuinely warm and happy to have you. You can really feel that each person is a small but important part of one big system delivering outstanding eco-tourism service. Bravo — achieving this level of service in the wild is not easy, and it shows. This experience was very valuable for me and my family. I won’t get tired of thanking you for the emotions you gave us. Highly recommended. Dear travelers — don’t hesitate. Go, enjoy the incredible nature and the level of service. This is something you will remember for a lifetime. Read all

We had the most amazing time at Refugio Amazonas for 3 nights, with a huge thanks to our guide Juan Carlos! On the first afternoon we sat down and planned our activities, which we loved! We came face to face with hundreds of birds, tarantulas, leaf carrying ants spanning 10 meter motorways to work and deliver the leaves to the ant house for food, parasites, and even leaves that cause natural dyes on oxidation - we learned so much. Carlos was genuinly interested in showing us everything the jungle had to offer, humorous and caring too. Carlos knew anything and everything about what was around us, pointing out things and creatures that the untrained eye would miss, carrying a telescope at all times for us to see the birds, ensuring we got magical videos on our phones using the telescope! Read all

Many thanks to Refugio Amazonas for an unforgettable experience! Brenda and team were so wonderful and accommodating, and Alan was a great guide. Thank you for a memorable experience! :) Read all

We had an excellent time at Tambopata research center. We are tourists like most who now visit the center, but it’s great to know that you can support research and the local community by visiting a place like this. Our guide for our trip, Esau, was extremely knowledgeable and showed great passion for his job. He described it as a hobby and he would get very excited if you spotted a specific bird or a tree. His specific knowledge about each and every creature in the forest was very impressive and I would recommend asking for Esau to be your guide in the future if you plan to visit. The hotel itself is unique. You are in the middle of the Amazon rainforest - the accessibility to nature is second to none. There are no windows in the hotel rooms. We had bugs in our room, of course, but the mosquito nets keep everything out and, actually, we both slept very well. The bar staff, Harrison, is very knowledgeable with drinks and works very hard. The food isn’t the best you’re ever going to have, but you have to remind yourself you are in the middle of the rainforest and that it takes a 6 hour round trip to get to the nearest town, and so the job that the hotel does in respect of the food is actually intuitive and very good. I would recommend this hotel to my peers and I would love to visit again in a few years time. Read all

Join To Our Newsletter

Write your e-mail

Join