Projecto TAMAR - Save the turtles!!!

The TAMAR project began in 1980 and has as its main goal the protection and preservation of Sea Turtles on the Brazilian coastline. As we learned from Morgan's informative presentation, there are only 7 species of Sea Turtles and 5 exist in Brazil.

As you can imagine, we were very, very excited about our visit to TAMAR which is located near Salvador on the beach Praia do Forte. It is a beautiful area where turtles are studied, monitored and released. Over the last few years,TAMAR has broadened its focus to include conservation of other sea creatures since all are critical for the environment of sea turtles. During our visit to TAMAR, we encountered sea turtles (including babies!), sharks, sting rays, sea stars and more! We were impressed to see the representations of the different types of turtles as well as all sorts of displays explaining the whole process of protecting, hatching and releasing the turtles. Also noteworthy is that sometimes TAMAR rescues animals that could not survive in the wild - for example, last year, we saw an albino turtle which would surely never be able to go unnoticed by shark predators in the ocean. As Dr. Scott constantly reminds us, all creatures are part of the "food chain."

We thought that you would like to discover more about the 5 turtle species found in Brazil so we spontaneously produced this thrilling turtle documentary for your viewing and learning pleasure. And don't worry, no actual turtles were harmed in the making of this film....

Note: In order for the video to run smoothly, it is best to let the entire video download and then replay it...

Adao, Bahian artist

On our way to visit the Tamar Turtle Sanctuary near Salvador, we stopped at a local beach for lunch. Lunch was fantastic (including a seaood moqueca, a local specialty) but what was really fantastic was meeting and watching Adao ("Adam" in English), a local artist with a unique talent for making scenic oil paintings on tiles in just a few short minutes. Each student requested and purchased a painting of her favorite Brazilian theme including waterfalls, turtles, soccer and capoeira. It was fascinating to watch Adao work and great to see how much care and pride he has in each painting. We really appreciated his friendliness and creativity. in fact, we requested so many paintings that Adao ran out of tiles!!

You can watch Adao create a special painting in the video below...

Oi Bahia!! The Red Fish Hotel in Salvador

The Red Fish Hotel in Salvador is a charming, colonial style guesthouse located in the heart of the historical district of the city of Salvador, Bahia. It is owned by Charles Butler, a British artist, who has taken great care with every single detail of the hotel. For example, decorative red fish can be found everywhere - sculpted in the iron work, painted on all of the furniture, hanging by the front gate, etc. The red fish theme throughout the pousada is fabulous!!

We were lucky enough to spend two nights enjoying the colorful cheerfulness of this unique small hotel. The students loved the colors, the art work, the terraces and balconies ... Most of all, they loved all of the people-watching opportunities (and people-greeting opportunities) which their open windows provided. Ms. Haley and I shared one of the two large rooms located on the third floor of the Red Fish. Not only did we enjoy our beautiful terrace but we also loved our ocean view and the view of the street below. We will return to the Red Fish hotel for our last night in Brazil. What a fantastic place to stay!!

Wilson, the best guide ever!!

One wonderful person who made our time in Iguassu super-special was Wilson Ulrich. Wilson is our friend and guide from Falls Vision Travel Agency in Iguassu. We at Ursuline have worked with Wilson for three years now and he has always been so helpful and kind. Every morning, Wilson greeted us with a smile and made sure that we were well-prepared for the day ahead. Wilson and Dr. Scott coordinated all transportation, meals and excursions for us at Iguassu, making sure that we maximized our time and experience.

We are especially grateful to Wilson for accompanying us on all of the trails, holding all of our "gear" while we played in the waterfall mist, telling us where to stand for the best photos, and countless other caring details that made our time go so smoothly and beautifully.

It was also nice to learn more about Wilson on this trip. He is currently finishing his studies in Computer Science but will likely stay working at the agency for a while since tourism is the main industry in Iguassu. Wilson is married and has a four year old son, Julio Alberto. The students were CRAZY about Julio and found him to be the most adorable child ever. Marissa kept saying "his voice is like chocolate."

Now that we are in Bahia, we are missing Wilson but treasure the great times that we shared - Thanks a million for everything, Wilson! We want you to visit us in Dallas so we can be your tour guides!!

Our last stop: The Iguassu Bird Park

Our last hours in Iguassu were full of discovery and new encounters. We spent the morning at the famous Iguassu Bird park, located just next door to our hotel (which explains a lot of the odd noises that we heard at night). The park is actually part of the Iguassu forest and is dedicated to education, research and conservation. One unique aspect of the park is that they have several open aviaries where one can walk through and, as such, can interact with the birds without having to be separated by a cage or by glass. Of course, there are positive and negative aspects to this open, interactive system. I am happy to report that, unlike in recent years, the macaws did not attack anyone and that we escaped with only one creature bite - A toucan bit Dr. Scott because it wanted to eat his watch. Luckily, no student was silly enough to provoke the toucans. Regretfully, Marissa did receive a "blessing" from a bird flying above. We will resolve this issue by doing a bit of laundry before returning home.

It is also important to point out that birds are not the only residents of the Bird Park. We also saw an iguana, an anaconda, an alligator and more. The butterfly and hummingbird house is currently under renovation so we will have to return to see it because it is sure to be as impressive as the rest of the park!

More adventure at Iguassu...

There was never a dull moment in Iguassu as you can see from these images. We especially loved the Macuco (Monkey) Boat adventure where we were drenched under the mighty Iguassu Falls. It was fast and thrilling and our students cheered loudly so that the boat driver would go back under the falls over and over again.
During our visit to Argentina, we stopped at a Gem workshop and store. It had MASSIVE stones in front of the store which we admired. Mary Ann had previously presented information about geology and specifically about gemstones in Brazil and about which stones are most common in Brazil. We loved the store because it gave us a chance to see and compare amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, garnet and more. Everything was really beautiful (and sparkly) and we most enjoyed watching one of the artisans re-size and clean a lovely butterfly ring purchased by one of the members of our group (you can guess which one).

Our most festive meal and celebration ocurred on our last night in Iguassu. We went to Rafain, a very special restaurant which is based in Iguassu - The only other Rafain is located in ... DALLAS! However, different from the restaurant in Dallas, the Rafain here puts on a huge music and dance show for tourists every evening. The show highlights different dances from different Latin American countries. The students particularly enjoyed the tango from Argentina. We were sad that we were not selected as volunteers from the audience but we cheered a lot at the finale, a representation of dances and costumes typical of Carnaval in Rio - beautiful!!! And even more sparkly than all of the gems we had seen the night before!!!

Invasive Species !!!! by Dr. Scott

Whether brought into the Iguassu Park in the back of Jeeps powered by biofuels such as sugar cane ethanol - (like our scientifically-minded companions Mary Ann, Marissa Morgan and Maddie) or in the guts of toucans - who dispose of digested seeds and other fruits as they travel from one place to another by air, (see gory details and effects of this incident later...), Iguassu is a haven to a wide range of biodiversity in the form of plants and animals...

Trails in Iguassu park cover a range of altitudes and vegetation types.

Some of these plants are true marvels of form, function and color, such as this beautiful green and yellow bamboo plant easily to be seen along the trails. Bamboos come in hundreds of species and are appreciated world-wide not only for their decorative potential in landscaping but also as true building materials in housing. They can also be attached to form scaffolding structure used in construction work, something commonly seen in China. They grow very fast and are a good source of celulose. Some varieties are planted for use in baby diapers.


Ferns can be seen along the park trails.

This special clover-like species thrives in dark, wet corners, over rocks, where other species are unable to adapt...Not only do they thrive on acid soils, but have in their leaves calcium oxalate crystals which make them unpalatable and tough to digest... a sure way to deter those herbivores!

The park's trails are well marked and have important plant species signaled with their common name such as this Guava-related tree the Uvaia, as well as with its ' Linnaean' scientific name (see binomial nomenclature) usually involving roots of words in Latin or/and Greek, which in someway describe the species... It is fun trying to guess details about the species, just reading its name which in many cases will describe color, size, chape or some other peculiarity about the individual.
Among the several exotic species in the park are ferns. Ferns are very 'happy' in humid, shady environments, such as along the parks trails on the forest floor, and many times indicate soils conditions. They are resistant to acid soils containing high levels of aluminium, toxic to most other plants...! Could we use this and other traits shown above to improve our crops through genetic manipulation?

Symbiosis
Even where there is practically not much in the way of nutrients available from the soil, such as over rock surfaces, the high air humidity allows for lichens (a symbiotic association of algae and fungi) to proliferate over large surfaces, successfully competing with ferns and mosses. Lichens will eventually erode rock surfaces obtaining a few nutrients.

Zebrina, a very common decorative household potted plant, is to be found everywhere along the park trails... An African species, specially well adapted to the local tropical rainforest conditions prevalent in Iguassu. Park rangers and erradication squads are continually harvesting Zebrina and other exotic plants from the park area in order to keep ecological balance in check... The local species of wild pigs, are actually quite happy to feed on it!

These little yellow rods are the beginnings of a wild 'black pepper' fruit. The plant is a very important food source for many species of seed eating birds.


We have enjoyed exploring and discovering these diverse life forms and we hope that you have learned something new along with us!

The Brazil side of Iguassu

WOW!!! We could not have asked for a more clear and perfect day to see Iguassu Falls! It was a great adventure hiking the Brazilian trail today. We encountered more coatis and more plant life. Dr. Scott asked the group to collect 20 different leaf samples along the trail - it seemed like a great idea until the boat ride when the leaf samples were drenched - just liked our group! But that's a story for later. For now, I will just let a few spectacular photos speak for themselves...

COATIS !!!

One of the most interesting aspects of being at Iguassu is the opportunity to observe and interact with coatis (pronounced "kwah-tees"). Coatis are amusing furry animals which thrive here at Iguassu. They can be seen in the forested areas, constantly scurrying about searching for food (they like fruit, insects, etc.). They look like a cross between a raccoon and a small ant-eater. They are very frendly to people as they are accustomed to tourists. Of course, one is not supposed to feed them but, of course, people do. So, the coatis are constantly on the lookout for people bearing food. They are smart and quick - just today, one scared me to death by popping out from a trash can as I was hiking along the trail - and the trash cans are supposed to be "coati-proof"... We can't get enough of these wild little creatures!!

Yesterday we saw coati babies as well as adult coatis - there were dozens of them!! Check out the video of some young coatis having a little fun....

Visit to Argentina: Iguazu National Park

This morning began with the thrill of crossing the border between Argentina and Brazil. There is a wall on a bridge which is is painted green and yellow on one side (Brazil) and light blue and white on the other (Argentina). As you can see, we had lots of fun posing in two countries at the same time!!

Our destination in Argentina was Iguazu National Park where the group experienced its first glance at the majestic Iguazu Falls. The name "Iguazu" means "Big Water" in Guarani, the language of the indigenous people of this area. It could not be a more perfect name! Also interesting is that Cabeza de Vaca was the first European explorer to see and document the falls (just as he was the first to document much of the USA including Florida and Texas).

Well, as the day progressed, we marveled more and more at the beauty and the power of the waterfalls. It was stunning!! Particularly impressive is the last part of the falls known as "The Devil's Throat". Today we hiked through two of the four trails on the Argentine side of the Falls - the trail to The Devil's Throat and the Inferior (lower) circuit. Even though Dr. Scott and I have been to Iguazu on several occasions, this was the first time that we have hiked through the Inferior Circuit. And I am so, so glad that we did because it was positively breathtaking!! In fact, we got to see some of the exact sites where the movie, The Mission, was filmed. Dr. Scott told us all about Robert DeNiro and this splendid film!

The Argentine side of the falls and the Brazilian side are quite different. Both are beautiful in unique ways. However, on the Argentine side, one has a variety of trails to choose from (at different elevations) and there is a little train that runs through the park which is helpful as it allows many visitors with disabilities access to be able to visit the falls. Also, on the Argentine side, the trail leading to the Devil's Throat goes over the Iguazu river which provides a completely different perspective from walking through a more forest-like area. Ms. Haley really liked walking over the fast-moving water (probably because she had on some really cool water shoes). We will surely report more details about the Brazil side tomorrow!! Here are a few of our favorite moments from today!

Plant Growth at Iguassu by Dr. Philip Scott

Perhaps you are asking yourself... What are the students learning as they walk through Iguassu? or What is Dr. Scott pointing to in all of these photos??? Well, our traveling science professor has graciously published some of what we learned today here on the blog so that our readers can learn as well. Please enjoy the informative blog entry below written by Dr. Philip Scott.....

The 'Dos Hermanos' waterfalls we visited on the Lower Circuit on the Argentina side of Iguassu Falls provides all sorts of possibilities for plant growth. All around it, air humidity is around 100% most of the time. This can be a perfect habitat for water loving plants of course, but also for those plants living on others, be it on their trunks or upper branches, taking advantage of height to gain on light. These plants are known as epiphytes! All they need is a 'foothold' provided by their roots and they can grow way above the relatively dark tropical forest floor.

Such is the case of this set of healthy bromeliads happily growing on a falling branch close to the waterfall spray rising from Dos Hermanos. Bromeliads come in a variety of forms and sizes and are part of decoration in modern cities and shopping malls around the world. They are able to collect water between their leaves and gradually absorb it as needed in times of less rainfall. However, this characteristic provides and ideal place for mosquito larvae development. As so, they have been torn down in many tropical countries so as to diminish mosquito populations.



Begonias, also very present around waterfalls, are delicate plants living among rocks and forest litter (dead leaves, branches and decomposing organic matter present on the forest floor). Their characteristic shiny ear-shaped leaves are easily recognized. The larger size of its leaves help the plant 'collect' sunlight, by exposing more area. Their shape allows for an 'easy drip' system which gets rid of excess water present in such places as close to the waterfalls.




These small epiphytes have lens-like shapes, which 'concentrate' the suns rays, compensating for their position in shaded areas... The 'lens' is made of water stored in the leaf. Other epiphytes found during the course of our trip included delicate ferns and many types of orchids.

Another way of overcoming the general lack of sunlight in the lower levels of the tropical rainforest, is to climb/scramble to the forest canopy, as exemplified by these intertwined branches of a vine or liana. Once the vine have reached the tree tops, it will spread its leaves and develop fully. These vines can store significant quantities of water, and so be used by travelers to quench their thirst in case of need.

All of the above examples show genetic plasticity, which is Nature's way of ' moulding' life forms to adapt to different and sometimes difficult environments.

The Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam

Hello from Iguassu Falls which is our home for the next three days! We are excited to be in an entirely new part of Brazil which is a much cooler and more southern location. Iguassu (which can be spelled in many different ways - Iguacu, Iguazu, etc.), is located at the exact point where Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina meet. So, we are enjoying a new multicultural reality and we will get to visit a bit of Paraguay and Argentina while we are here!

Once we arrived, we wasted no time in jumping back into scientific mode - this time focusing on engineering and physics! During lunch at our lovely Hotel San Martin, Marissa presented an overview of the Itaipu Dam. We learned that it is one of the seven modern wonders of the world and that the energy produced powers 25% of Brazil and 78% of Paraguay. The dam is a bi-national project of Brazil and Paraguay and it is actually located in both countries.

With our new knowledge, we were ready to experience the dam firsthand. We took the extended "especial" tour which allowed us a close and detailed look at the inner workings of the dam including the mighty turbines. It was a grand experience and the students kept commenting on what a truly MASSIVE and impressive structure it is!