Last dip in the Amazon! Heading back to Iquitos!
 

Spent the late afternoon trying to film pink dolphins. They’re elusive little creatures, popping up here and there and we managed to see a few, but they were too quick for the camera.
 

After that we ploughed down the Amazon filming Luke and Annie on the boat. And were lucky enough to catch the most amazing sunset. See the pictures below, which speak for themselves:
 

 

I did wonder whether dipping into the waters of the Amazon was a great idea considering all the creatures that lurk within its murky depths but Caesar (our captain) only knew of one fisherman who had been eaten by piranhas and considering all the villagers bathe and wash in the water daily we figured it would be a fairly safe bet. We took the speedboat out to the middle of the river and jumped in. It was fantastic – the current was incredible but we swam with it for about half a mile or so and had a great time leaping in and out of the speedboat which kept pace with us – particularly Annie and Molly who plunged into the water without hesitation and then proceeded to repeatedly clamber in and out of the boat jumping in with ear piercing shrieks. Quite what the local tribes thought of us all I have no idea but I suspect our mental health was in question. It served a dual purpose – a chance to wash our clothes as well as a refreshing break.

Sabrina didn’t make it. It was incredibly sad and we were all immensely disappointed. Having bonded with her over the last few days and sat up through the night with her, we all thought she was picking up, but the trauma of the boat ride, the oppressive heat and the huge surgeries she had been through were simply too much. Perhaps it was a mistake to have put her through the operation but we had had little choice and she was suffering. She wasn’t in pain when she passed away but although we did our absolute best, it was sad she was with a group of strangers at the end. It was very tough for everyone and we all felt very low after her passing.

The village dogs were a mixed bag. Some of them tough jungle hunting dogs, razor teeth and fairly unhandlable by anyone except their owners – equally tough Peruvians, whip thin hard young men, packed with lean muscle and scarred with tribal tattoos. Annie and I worked through them, pulling out three inch worms that had buried themselves in the dogs back – larvae of a fly that lays its eggs under the skin. I’ve seen them before but never this big, nor so many. Very satisfying to get them out.

The final mission was to vaccinate some buffalo against rabies. Apparently bats bite them and it’s a genuine risk so we went on a mission to get it done.
 

Just arrived back in Iquitos, time for a hot shower and few local beers.

I know it might sound silly, but we all went swimming in the Amazon while we where on the boat. The other day my wife ,Julia asked me what animals live in the murky waters of the Amazon.  I told her things like piranha, crocs, pythons etc. I can still hear her saying: ”Just promise me one thing. Don’t swim in the Amazon!”.

Of course I promised. Of course I jumped in. Afterwards I told Julia that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that I ‘had’ to do it. She just replied: “Exactly … it could have been easily just ONCE in a lifetime”.

Daryl Richardson is the founder of the Dallas World Aquarium and whilst working with some pink river dolphins a few years ago, was asked to help rescue some orphaned manatees.
 

It was a challenge as much as a worthy cause – manatees are CITES 1 critically endangered species and there was no proper rescue or rehabilitation facility in the country. Darryl’s motivation was simply to help these amazing animals, and the aquarium doesn’t have any Peruvian Manatees in Dallas – he did totally to help save the animals and conserve the species. A rare example of a commercial business that makes its money from exhibiting exotic species doing something incredibly altruistic.
 

It was a great visit and a privilege to learn about the manatees, handle them, feed them and appreciate why it is so important to protect them. They are a vital part of many of the tributaries of the Amazon, a key component to the delicate ecosystem. Hunted for blubber and food, these gentle giants only have one offspring at a time and with a gestation of 13months and a nursing period of up to two years, their reproductive rate is slow to say the least. They are now protected under Peruvian and International Law, but thanks to Darryl and his very competent team, they might just stand a chance and his far reaching education programmes seem to be really making an impact. As the locals learn that the creatures are so important to the fish in the river and they don’t eat them, they in turn will start to become their guardians.