Wildlife Conservation Internship – Amazon Rainforest, Peru

I completed a 4-week Wildlife Conservation Internship with Semillas Life in Codo del Pozuzo, and it was hands-down the most transformative experience of my life. Even though I arrived during the rainy season, the weather only added to the sense of adventure and the raw beauty of the jungle. The program is incredibly hands-on. I spent several nights camping in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, which was an unforgettable experience—hearing the symphony of the jungle at night is something I’ll never forget. I learned so much about the local flora and fauna, from identifying tracks to understanding the complex ecosystem of this Amazonian area. Tamara, who is in charge of the program on-site, was phenomenal. She is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and made sure every activity was both educational and safe. We also spent time at the local primary school, where I had the chance to share my research experience with the children. Seeing their excitement about their own backyard's biodiversity was a huge highlight. What makes Semillas Life special is that while the organization is small, their impact on the community is massive. The people in the town of Codo del Pozuzo are some of the friendliest I’ve ever met, making me feel welcome from day one. I also appreciated the support system. Even though the founder, Christian, is based in Berlin, he was always available and in constant communication. He coordinates seamlessly with the team in Peru to ensure everything runs smoothly. You can tell he is truly passionate about the mission. If you are looking for an authentic, challenging, and meaningful Biology internship, look no further. I left Peru with a deeper understanding of conservation and memories that will last a lifetime. I’m already dreaming of the day I can go back!

ATTENTION! Semillas Life is not a real Conservation Ecology internship – it’s very misleading. No team, no lab, no equipment (apart from a few camera traps). No structured projects, just rushed jungle tours with no clear learning. Supervisor has no experience, doesn’t speak English, and was unprofessional (even blocked me when I got sick). Christian, the director, lives in Berlin – there is no proper on-site management. The programme is no longer in Puerto Inca (where the forest is almost gone due to deforestation). Instead they’re in Codo de Pozuzo, claiming to do “reforestation”, but it’s just planting a few trees in a school backyard. Living conditions are dirty, unhygienic, and overpriced. A nearby hotel with private bathroom and TV was cheaper than their camp. This is not conservation work – it’s just jungle tours. If you are serious about learning ecology, look elsewhere.

When I started volunteering for Semillas Life the organization had their main focus on educational work. I was teaching English and German, helping to set up a curriculum, training in new volunteers, organizing weekly staff meetings and preparing didactic material. Durning this work we more and more realized that we have to focus on environmental education in order approach of the local community. We started collecting trash, building trash cans for the elementary school, taking photos of local flora and fauna to use for specific didactic material and taking the students on scout field trips. These scout's trips were not only very popular and adventures, but also teaching each other more about the nature. In this way volunteers were able to learn a lot from the local children and the kids grew confidence. Because of this success Chris and the other stuff members started a cooperation with the department of conservation and investigation of biodiversity in the natural reserve of Codo de Pozuzo, Puerto Inca. This reserve is only officially existing and recognized by the state of Peru since the year 2021. Finally, the region is understanding the importance of protecting their environment. In order to due this we are looking for expert volunteers to track the biodiversity in this reserve and collect specific data. I am looking forwards to see how in future we can use the knowledge of the interns and experts and all these data and information to gain interests nationwide and internationally. Student interns can use their knowledge, but also learn more and spread the words locally and in their home countries. My work for Semillas Life was very special because I was able to build relationships with the local community, develop my own ideas, together with the group adapt our ideas and observe the grow from small project to a professional organization. I wish everyone could be part of the team and richen the organization with their little mosaic part.