A Return to Hector's Island

On Sunday the EMs packed up their gear early and waved goodbye to Yasuni National Park as they headed up river to Allpa Sumak – Hector’s Island. It was a three hour journey by boat but they were well rewarded with sightings of local birdlife along the river bank. Upon arrival they set about the arduous task of hanging hammocks and pitching tents before joining Hector on a small tour of his island. They hadn’t walked too far before the high canopy came alive with calls of the Brown Woolly Monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha). Four of them could be clearly seen swinging from tree to tree. They shook branches and threw down twigs to scare off the EMs. In another canopy a curious little White-fronted Capuchin (Cebus albifrons) crept down a branch to take a closer look at all the commotion. It’s amazing to watch these little creatures manoeuvre effortlessly between trees. After a while Hector and the EMs decided to leave them to settle in for the night. The EMs were suffering neck strain from looking up for too long anyway. It was a short visit to the beautiful Allpa Sumak (otherwise known as Hector’s Island) but the monkey sightings and a swim at sunset made it a memorable one.

A Return to Hector's Island