1/9/2011 - These Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliate), nature’s alarm clock, made sure that I’m awake at 5:30AM every morning. There’s a troop of about 15 to 20 of them living right in the rainforest around the lodge. I started my 5-week internship here in Rio San Juan, Nicaragua with a hike at the Indio Maiz Biosphere Reserve. It’s the largest tract of primary rainforest in Central America.

There were Toucans, more monkeys and various wading birds along the river. It was a muddy 3 hour hike and we saw some Spider monkeys and more Howler monkeys in the forest. Although we didn’t see the elusive Jaguar, we did see many Jaguar prints indicating the existence of this magnificent cat.