The New Neotropical Companion

and mammals. And, of course, just the opposite might

happen. You might come upon a fruiting tree that has

attracted multiple species of birds and mammals. You

might encounter a big mixed- species foraging flock

of birds (either in the canopy or understory). Maybe

you will have a lucky sighting of a group of peccaries

or perhaps even a cat, such as an Ocelot (Leopardus

pardalis). You might be surprised at how sparse your

list of sightings is after an hour or two in the forest.

This is normal. It takes lots of field hours to build up a

long list of sightings. Experienced naturalists learn to

revel in what they find. They focus on the quality of the

observation, not the quantity of species tallied.

The rain forest is active after dark. Night is a good

time to look for animals such as the Kinkajou (Potos

flavus) and, of course, the numerous bat species that

are foraging. Many lodges feature night walks through

the forest or night drives along isolated roads that

species such as tapirs, pacas, or even cats frequent

(plate 4- 10; see chapter 16). With good lights and some

luck a night walk may even turn up a prowling Jaguar

(but don’t count on it).

Plate 4- 8. The Whooping Motmot, like most motmots, is often hard to spot in the shaded understory. But its distinctive voice will

reveal its presence. Photo by John Kricher.

Plate 4- 10. This Brazilian Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) is attracted to

a mass of fallen fruits, and its feeding time makes for a good

photo op. Tapirs are most active at night. Photo by Andrew

Whittaker.

Plate 4- 9. Cicadas, members of the insect order Hemiptera, are

a diverse group seen and heard (loudly) in pretty much any

tropical rain forest. Photo by Dennis Paulson.

chapter 4 finding animals in rain forest 61