What inspired you to work for Hoja Nueva?
I've been in the conservation industry for a bit now and when I saw the work they are doing at Hoja Nueva I couldn't resist. The opportunity to work in such an amazing place with a team doing some cool work to conserve the local wildlife of Madre de Dios was a no-brainer. The mixture of both rescue and research really enticed me to want to come and work for Hoja, not a lot of organisations can do both.
Me with one of my favorite species, Phyllomedusa camba.
Describe a typical day at work.
A typical day for me would start with telling the interns the plan for the day. Which will normally include a morning transect survey looking for all types of vertebrate species, followed by a potential camera trap collection, and finishing off with my favorite, a night walk. In between surveys I will have presentations ready for eager interns and show them how to do some data entry and analysis.
Why do you do what you do?
I think anybody in this field, including me, does what we do because we are passionate about it. Not everybody can live in the jungle, so I think we are mostly driven by the passion to learn more about the wildlife here, and more importantly, driven because we know we are making a difference in some way.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Although night walks are my favorite activity, I'd have to say the best part about the job is getting to meet people from all around the world. It's amazing to meet people from all different backgrounds all with the goal to learn more about wildlife. Being able to show people the natural biodiversity of this region and see how amazed they are by it is unbeatable.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
Both my degree in animal behaviouor and master's in wildlife conservation have been incredibly useful for this role. Being able to look at things in the field and apply the content I've learned in the past feels very rewarding.
Being international, but also from Latin America, I use my Spanish speaking skills to be able to communicate with Peruvian team members here at a more confident level whilst also being able to translate for interns.
My first lot of participants alongside, Matteo and Toreto from the Team.
What are some current projects you are working on?
I’m currently working on two projects, one focused on observer-based vertebrate identification, focusing on determining what vertebrate species are found here at Hoja Nueva.
My second project is looking into the frequency of medium to large mammals being spotted on camera traps in relation to distance from the base, which will help determine what species are getting closer or farther away.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
I'd tell myself to enjoy everything, never ignore a little bug or lizard, look at everything, photograph everything, and appreciate it all. It's not everyone who gets to go to where we are.
Enjoy the jungle for its beauty and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with it. Also, long sleeves, make sure you bring long sleeves, that's always a good one to know.
Always excited to help out on Caiman surveys.
Why should someone choose Hoja Nueva over competitors?
Because Hoja Nueva is unique, not a lot of other places do both rescue and research. Additionally, you are in such a remote part of the world that you'd be seeing things other people could only dream of. Here at Hoja, we offer a unique experience to our interns allowing you to properly contribute to our conservation efforts alongside aiding in some super interesting research projects.
What is Hoja Nueva's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
Our organisation’s mission, in summary, is focused on protecting the Peruvian Amazon here in Madre de Dios through different forms. My focus is aimed at working towards our mission through the implementation of biological research, in which we can, directly and indirectly, conserve wildlife and the ecosystems they are found within.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
I hope that any of the participants who come here to Hoja Nueva leave having learned something new.
Whether it's a new skill or more knowledge about this field, as long as each participant leaves knowing something more than they arrived, I can happily say I've done my job. I also hope that all the participants who come here leave with a new perspective on things and that they leave appreciating wildlife for what it is.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
I am a strong believer that there is no better teacher than travel, I would say a lot of the key things I've learned have been on my travels. I think that through travelling and experiencing different cultures you truly gain a new perspective on so much, and you gain a deeper understanding of people and their backgrounds.
Nightwalks and snakes are some of my favorite things here at Hoja.
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
Learning a new language is one of the most beneficial skills anyone can have, as a person living in Peru. I can promise that by knowing Spanish you make communication with others smoother, and you manage to connect with people on a deeper scale and not just surface level. Being on a base like Hoja Nueva is a great place to learn a new language as you will almost always have someone to practice with.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
DO IT! There is nothing better than travelling abroad, whether it's to learn or just experience life do it. It can be scary at times to take that jump but it is so worth it in the end. Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to truly experience the most amazing things. Most importantly have an open mind, the world is a big place and nowhere is the same, so have an open mind.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel to me would be defined as doing something that you are doing for yourself! You don't need to go do what all other tourists do—go do something exciting and fun that you've always wanted to do. Another factor would be doing something that won't negatively affect the area you are in, leave it like you found it, or leave it better.
