Yuturi

This page is still under major construction.  However, in the meantime check out some of the photos from my trip to Yuturi.  They are dark (a bad scanning job)...but the next batch should better.

Two Yuturi Medicinemen led our group through the jungle, teaching us about the various plants and animals.  On one of our outings we visited the man at right´s home and family.  On the wall hung a photo of Mary while at his feet stood his bashful son.

This is (yet another dark) photo of the oil lines stretched through the jungle, bringing in much of the Ecuadorian foreign trade.  It was a strange site, in the middle of nowhere, happening upon enormous structures suspending the oil pipes for hundreds of miles.  I have tons to talk about on this subject, but it will come later.

One of my projects while at Yuturi, was on the leaf cutter ants.  Pictured at right, this amazing troop carried leaves over considerable distance, from the tops of the trees.  They could be spotted from a distance due to their discernable line coming down a tree and jutting off into the jungle. 

Most interesting to me was the roles of the different ants.  The larger of the ants carried the leaves, all cut in a similar shape and size.  Smaller ants cleared the path of debris and discarded leaves.  If a leaf we introduced was too large, an ant would stop and cut the leaf to a smaller size, pick it up and carry on.  The smaller ants diligently removed any foreign leaves from the path, and our tape to mark our study area as well.

This badly scanned photo shows small huts along the Coca river.  I was amazed at the workmanship, and the open air structure.  The cabanas we slept in were home to more than just us.  We had to make room for whatever decided to go bump in the night.  Definately different than camping in Montana, but just as exciting.