June 9th - Day Seven

In the morning we went into the rainforest near the ecolodge on a guided hike. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the different survival techniques on the Amazon river. He showed us a vine that you can cut and obtain fresh water from as well as a tree's bark that acts as insect repellant when ground up. Walking around there did not seem to be a lot of life on the forest floor; however, the guide pointed out plenty of life that was difficult to spot. So much of the life was very well camouflaged with the surrounding forest. Had Roosevelt's expedition known how to forage for food in the forest, many of their food problems could have been avoided.

When we went into the jungle we followed a path that was pretty clear and easy to follow, but had there been no path, I would have been quickly lost. Our guide pointed out a species of tree that has huge buttress roots that, if hit with a wood stick, can make a noise that can be heard from over five kilometers away. It is difficult to imagine what it must have been like to navigate through uncharted forest with limited supplies.

After the hike through the forest, we visited a monkey rehab area near the ecolodge. Monkeys are released here and supplied thirty percent of their diet. Fruits and eggs are left out for the monkeys and often the alpha male of the troupe get his pick first. Before the monkeys are fully released into the wild, they must spend some time in a rehabilitation container. 

This ecolodge is a great hotel and blends business and environmental concern very well. The ecolodge promotes many environmentally friendly activities that regular hotels cannot offer. This encourages the business to take care of its land and surrounding environment. The more pristine the grounds and surrounding land looks, the happier the customers. This is a very sustainable business model that encourages a business to not only focus on profit, but also to implement environmental and social practices.