Wired Amazon: A Journey into the Heart of Conservation

The Wired Amazon Program is a groundbreaking initiative by Rainforest Expeditions, designed to merge scientific research and conservation efforts with the immersive experience of ecotourism in the Tambopata National Reserve and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. Since its inception in 2016, Wired Amazon has been at the forefront of biodiversity research, engaging global citizen scientists and fostering a deeper connection with the Amazon rainforest. Our innovative approach combines cutting-edge technology with hands-on conservation, making a significant impact on environmental sustainability.

Wired Amazon Projects

1. Discovering New Species

Although around two million insect species have already been described, scientists estimate that between 10 and 20 million remain undiscovered — and many may vanish before we even know they exist, as the Amazon rainforest loses hundreds of kilometers every day. This is why our research in the Tambopata National Reserve is so important: every discovery helps us better understand and protect one of the world’s most biodiverse places.

Through our Wired Amazon program, visitors have the chance to join our biologists in this search for life. With guidance from our researchers, you’ll learn how species are identified, the traits that make them unique, and how science uses them to understand ecosystems. Each specimen collected by the researcher is sent for DNA barcoding in collaboration with the International Barcode of Life (IBoL) at Guelph University in Canada, which is building the world’s largest genetic library of living organisms.

In Tambopata, our team is already discovering a new insect species almost every month. By taking part, you don’t just witness science in action — you contribute to global knowledge, help strengthen conservation, and may even have the chance to give a name to a species new to science. Together, we can build bio-literacy and preserve the Amazon’s extraordinary legacy, one discovery at a time.

2. AmazonCam

In the Amazon, deforestation, climate change, and illegal hunting have placed dozens of species on the IUCN Red List. To face this challenge, AmazonCam Tambopata combines research, ecotourism, and citizen science to study and protect wildlife in the Tambopata National Reserve.

Together with Dr. Mark Bowler (University of Suffolk), Mathias Tobler (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance), and Rainforest Expeditions, a vast grid of camera traps has been installed across 200 km² of rainforest — from Refugio Amazonas to the Tambopata Research Center. These motion-activated cameras capture images of jaguars, pumas, ocelots, tapirs, monkeys, and countless other species, offering a non-invasive way to understand their behavior and populations.

One of the main goals is to estimate the jaguar population, using the unique spot patterns on each individual to identify them, much like a fingerprint. Every three months, the field team services the cameras, and all images are uploaded to Zooniverse, where hundreds of citizen scientists from around the world help identify species. Guests can also participate directly by setting up their own camera traps near the Refugio Amazonas lodge.

This long-term project, planned for at least a decade, is one of the largest wildlife studies in the Amazon. While focused on jaguars, the wealth of data collected contributes to broader biodiversity knowledge. Importantly, it also provides critical information to SERNANP, helping evaluate and strengthen conservation strategies in Peru’s protected areas.

By joining AmazonCam Tambopata, you become part of a pioneering effort that bridges science, conservation, and ecotourism — promoting bio-literacy and ensuring that the wonders of the Amazon endure for generations to come.

3. 8 Primates

The Tambopata Research Center is one of South America’s most important sites for wild primate research, home to all eight monkey species of the Tambopata River. After more than 25 years of regular contact with researchers and visitors, these groups are habituated, allowing unique opportunities to study their behavior and communication.

The 8 Primates Project combines behavioral follows and bioacoustics to create an extensive library of monkey vocalizations. These recordings are being used not only to understand primate communication, but also to develop a long-term monitoring program with local communities in the wider forests of Peru. By “listening” to the forest, we can detect monkeys and track population health across large landscapes.

As a guest, you can actively contribute as a citizen scientist. Whether by joining researchers on monkey follows, making short acoustic recordings with your phone, or helping with data organization, every contribution strengthens this groundbreaking study. Even during meals and daily activities, you’ll have the chance to exchange ideas with scientists and learn directly from their work.

Led by Dr. Mark Bowler, the project also welcomes collaborations with universities and institutions worldwide. For participants, it’s more than an experience — it’s field training in primatology, offering hands-on skills in primate ecology, behavior, and bioacoustic technology, while supporting conservation efforts in the Tambopata National Reserve.

By joining the 8 Primates Project, you don’t just observe monkeys — you help amplify their voices, ensuring that their songs and calls continue echoing through the Amazon rainforest for generations to come.

4. Aerobotany

The Amazon canopy — towering over 50 meters high — is one of the least explored habitats on Earth, yet it holds the key to understanding much of the rainforest’s biodiversity. To study this “roof of the rainforest,” Wired Amazon launched Aerobotany in 2016, combining drones and citizen science to monitor the life cycles of Amazonian trees without climbing them.

Based at Refugio Amazonas Lodge, Aerobotany uses drones programmed to fly over the canopy and capture thousands of high-resolution images. These images are uploaded to Zooniverse, the world’s largest online citizen science platform, where volunteers from across the globe help classify flowering trees, leaf loss, and crown structures — generating critical data for forest ecology and conservation.

The first results were groundbreaking: volunteers identified thousands of trees flowering or shedding leaves during the dry season, and even helped create the first large-scale survey of the Huasaí palm. Today, the project focuses on the Brazil nut tree (castaña), an emblematic species of Madre de Dios and a cornerstone of the local economy. By analyzing drone imagery, Aerobotany aims to predict fruit yields, helping communities plan sustainable harvests while contributing to conservation.

As a visitor, you can join this innovative project and learn how technology is transforming rainforest science. Every flight, every image, and every classification brings us closer to understanding — and protecting — the Amazon’s majestic canopy.

5. Tambopata Macaw Project

Macaws are the ambassadors of the Amazon — symbols of its vibrant biodiversity — yet they face serious threats from habitat loss, selective logging, and a scarcity of natural nest sites. In the Tambopata National Reserve and Bahuaja Sonene National Park, the Tambopata Macaw Project works to safeguard these iconic birds by improving artificial nest designs that support their reproduction and survival.

Since 1989, the project has built on the pioneering work of Eduardo Nycander, who revealed the nesting and reproductive needs of macaws. Natural cavities suitable for nesting form only in massive Shihuahuaco trees — a process that takes over 300 years. With these ancient giants being logged far faster than they can regenerate, natural nest sites are becoming dangerously scarce.

To address this, the project focuses on creating advanced artificial nests that mimic the conditions of natural cavities while reducing parasites, preventing predation, and extending nest longevity. New technology also allows remote monitoring, providing valuable data on chick survival and reproductive success.

Beyond the nests, the project also monitors the spectacular Colorado Clay Lick, one of the world’s most famous wildlife spectacles, to better understand macaw behavior and threats. These efforts align with Peru’s Natural Heritage Initiative, strengthening conservation strategies and environmental monitoring in priority protected areas.

By supporting the Tambopata Macaw Project, visitors and scientists alike contribute to ensuring that the skies of the Amazon will continue to be filled with the brilliant colors and calls of macaws for generations to come.

Wired Amazon Program Achievements

• Discovered 31 new species of arthropods.
• Identified 20 individual jaguars through AmazonCam.
• Engaged over 12,000 global participants in citizen science projects.
• Collected 650,000 images aiding in wildlife monitoring and conservation.
• Awarded 1st place in the Biodiversity Category, Sub-category Fauna at the Green Awards in Miami, 2022.

Wired Amazon Partnerships

We collaborate with esteemed academic institutions and organizations to maximize our impact:

• National University of San Marcos
• Smithsonian Institution
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
• Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
• Association for Integral Research and Development (AIDER)
• Peruvian National Service of Natural Protected Areas (SERNANP)
• Ese Eja Native Community of Infierno

These partnerships enhance our research capabilities and ensure the sustainability of our conservation efforts.

Rainforest Expeditions Goals through Wired Amazon

• Conservation: Enhance biodiversity protection through cutting-edge research and monitoring techniques.
• Community Engagement: Foster a global community of citizen scientists dedicated to preserving the Amazon.
• Sustainable Tourism: Support local economies by integrating ecotourism with meaningful scientific endeavors.
• Education and Awareness: Raise global awareness about the importance of Amazonian conservation through direct participation and educational initiatives.

Innovative Approach

Rainforest Expeditions was born from a commitment to science, finding in ecotourism a sustainable way to make conservation viable. Our innovative projects combine the latest technology with active citizen participation, ensuring that conservation efforts are both effective and engaging.

Join Us In Tambopata – Peru

Experience the Amazon like never before. Become a citizen scientist as our guest at our ecolodges or as a volunteer and contribute to groundbreaking research.

Visit the Wired Amazon official page to learn more and get involved.

Together, we can make science happen. Explore. Discover. Protect.

For more information, follow us on Instagram @WiredAmazon.