- Cocha Cashu Biological Station
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Cocha Cashu Biological Station (Estación Biológica Cocha Cashu or EBCC) is a tropical ecological research station in Manú National Park, Peru. The station is one of the best-studied ecological sites in the Amazon. Along with La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica and Barro Colorado Island (BCI) managed by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama, Cocha Cashu is one of the best-studied ecological sites in the tropics. However, unlike La Selva or BCI, Cocha Cashu is in an area minimally impacted by humans, surrounded by millions of hectares of virgin forest, and thus provides critical insights into the organisms and processes found in a healthy, natural tropical rainforest. Over 500 articles, books, and other publications have resulted from field research conducted at Cocha Cashu.[1]
The station is situated on the shore of an oxbow lake, from which it takes its name. "Cocha" is the Quechua word for lake. "Cashu" is derived from the English word "cashew" and refers to the shape of the lake.
Contents
History
The Cocha Cashu Biological Station was established in the 1960s by German researchers studying black caiman. Because it is within Manú National Park, the station is officially owned and regulated by INRENA, Peru's National Natural Resources Institute. The station has been operated by John Terborgh, an environmental science professor at Duke University, since the early 1980s [2]
Facilities
The remote, rustic station consists of a few thatched roofed buildings clustered in two small clearings, and a network of trails into the forest. There are no dormitories or other forms of housing. All researchers, staff, and visitors must sleep in their own tents in the surrounding forest. Additionally, there are also no fixed plumbing systems. Toilets consist of a pair of pit latrines. Water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing clothes is pumped by hand from the lake.
Access
Cocha Cashu is only accessible by boat or float plane. The nearest roads reach the towns of Shintuya and Atalaya, two days away by boat. Flights to Boca Manú still require a day-long boat ride up the Manú River to reach the station.
Dangers and Hazards
The many hazards of the Amazonian rainforest are well-publicized, including piranhas, anacondas, caimans, jaguars, pumas, peccaries, electric eels, stingrays, numerous poisonous snakes, insects, scorpions, spiders, plants, and other dangers. However, researchers at the station have interacted closely with the plants and animals of the rainforest for decades with very few negative encounters.
One notable exception occurred on April 27, 2000, when Francis J. Bossuyt disappeared while bathing in the lake. He has never been found, and presumed dead, perhaps killed by a caiman. In the years since, a memorial in his name was established at the station, and more researchers and other visitors have chosen to use buckets or pumped water to bathe instead.
References
Categories:- Biological research institutes
- Research institutes in Peru
- Biological stations
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