Humpback Whales: Banderas Bay, Mexico

In preparation for the December newsletter article on humpback whales in Banderas Bay, Mexico we had a Q&A session with Oscar Frey of Ocean Friendly Tours (www.oceanfriendly.com). Here's an excerpt from the interview.

PT: How long have you been studying whales and what species do you study?
OF: I have been studying whales for 14 years and I am focused on Humpback whales and Gray whales.

PT: What was it about whales that drew you to them over other marine life?
OF: In the first place, their size and scale relative to the ocean and to me created a very special impact on me as a child. Later, what increased my interest was their gentleness and the wide repertoire of vocalizations.


PT: How do you conduct your business differently from your competitors?
OF: I am focused on responsible whale watching. I make longer tours than my competitors. I use specialized hydrophones to listen to the whales' vocalizations and I involve the guests in the quest for whale sightings and in data collection for research. I provide lunch on board and I do not push the tour to accomplish a fixed itinerary aside from the departure and arrival schedule. I modify the itinerary according to the presence, the distribution and the behaviors of whales observed.

PT: Regarding KAP (kite aerial photography), what gave you the idea to use kites and cameras? What style of cameras and lenses do you use?
OF: The Drachen Foundation (www.drachen.org) gave me the idea to use KAP to enhance my research with whales and provided grants to develop the methodology. I use mainly Rokkaku kites and Nikon Digital cameras such as the Nikon D50 SLR camera with Nikon digital lenses such as 35mm lens and a 10.5mm fish eye lens.


PT: How do you insure the safety of the animals that you observe? What other measures do you take to minimize your impact on the environment?
OF: The minimium distance from the whale pods is 100 feet and for no longer that 30 minutes. We also respect that no more than two boats should be observing the same whale or pod. A very important measure for conservation is to avoid running more than one tour everyday on each boat. The way we manage to limit tours is by raising our price a little so that we can raise funds without the need of running two tours a day. The result is a higher price than our competitors but running less boats out on the water per season, therefore less impact on the whales and their environment.

PT: Where and when are the best locations to observe whales in Mexico?
OF: For Humpback Whales, Bahia de Banderas (Banderas Bay) is the best location in Mexico from early December through March. For Gray Whales, Scammon´s Lagoon and San Ignacio Lagoon (Baja) are the best areas from January through early April.


PT: You obviously have had a lot of interactions with whales and other marine species, but do you have a favorite memory of a specific interaction?
OF: I have a memory of a whale that came to me in a very friendly manner. She circled the boat and kept on diving under it, coming back out very slowly and spyhopping at all of us on board. It was like she was trying to tell us something. She made eye contact with me repeatedly and finally approached me so carefully, and allowed me to pet her.

PT: Is there anything else that you would like us to know about you, your research or some new ideas that you are exploring?
OF: Whales have allowed me to learn about the ocean and learn about myself. My research has given me understandings about the challenges that whales face in the modern world and how to minimize the impact of human activities around the whales and other marine species. Environmental education is key for conservation.

Palomino Islands: Peru

Just off the coast of Lima, Peru, you’ll find a series of islands often referred to as the “guano islands”. The word guano (‘wanu’) has its origins in Quechua, the language of the Incas. Guano is a natural fertilizer made from bird droppings. The guano from the Peruvian coast is considered the best for farming. The Incas, knowing the value of guano, restricted access to the guano islands and punished anyone disturbing the birds there with death. In the 19th century, guano from Peru became a prized commodity in Europe, and guano is still exported today to Spain and France.


The waters off the shores of Peru are considered some of the most productive on the planet, attracting huge numbers of seabirds. Even though many species inhabit the islands, only three are considered good guano makers – the Peruvian pelican, Peruvian booby, and guanay cormorant. Who knew there was such a difference in the quality of bird droppings?

In addition to bird density, guano abundance in Peru can be attributed to the Humboldt oceanic current. The Humboldt current carries cold water from Antarctica to the equator along the western South American coastline. When the cold water meets the warm air of the region, rainfall is prevented, resulting in extremely arid conditions. It hardly ever rains in Lima and the nearby islands. No rain means no guano removal. The intense sun literally bakes the guano, preserving the nitrates and maintaining its effectiveness as a fertilizer.


If you’re looking for a great day trip while in Lima, consider visiting the Palomino Islands – don’t worry, you can’t smell the guano. You’ll pass by several other islands on the way, and you’ll see thousands upon thousands of marine birds. Keep an eye out for Humboldt penguins sitting low in the water between dives for fish. The Humboldt is the only penguin that calls Peru home. When you get to Palomino, you’ll be greeted by hordes of vociferous sea lions acting as if the chance to see human visitors is the highlight of their day – a warm welcome indeed.

Chaparrí Ecological Reserve: Peru

West of Chiclayo, approximately an hour and a half away, you’ll find Chaparrí Ecological Reserve, the first private conservation area in Peru. The name Chaparrí comes from the impressive mountain that dominates the landscape there. The 34,412 hectare (~85,000 acre) reserve is owned and managed by the Muchik community of Santa Catalina de Changoyape. The reserve is home to 219 species of birds, 15 mammals, four amphibians, and 22 reptiles. New species are sure to be added to the list as research and habitat protection continue at Chaparrí.

The most notable residents at Chaparrí are the spectacled bear and the white-winged guan. The spectacled bear is the only bear in South America. The bear population at Chaparrí includes individuals from the last remaining viable population of the species inhabiting dry forest. Chaparrí currently has seven bears in enclosures, two of which are ready to be released in the wild soon. In addition, there are close to 20 individuals inhabiting the forests of the reserve.


The white-winged guan is a critically threatened bird that is only found in a small area of dry forest in the areas of Lambayeque, Piura, and Cajamarca in northern Peru. The guan was thought to be extinct for more than a century until it was rediscovered in 1977. Chaparrí has championed a successful reintroduction project and today, you can see more than 60 guans ambling around the reserve.


Chaparrí is well worth the trip from Chiclayo. You can spend a night in the rustic lodge and be lulled to sleep by the sounds of Peruvian pygmy-owls and screech-owls. In the morning, you can hit the trails in search of the reserve’s two famous species. In all likelihood, you’ll see curious foxes, buzzing hummingbirds, and raucous white-tailed jays along the way. The money spent at Chaparrí will help feed the animals, pay the local guides, maintain the facilities, and educate local children. This is sustainable tourism in action.

Peruvian Hairless Dog

If you travel to northern Peru to explore the archaeological sites, keep an eye out for a famous resident of the four-legged kind – the Peruvian hairless dog. As the name suggests, this breed is devoid of hair except for small amounts on its head, feet, and the tip of its tail.


The Peruvian hairless dog is often associated with the Incas, but ceramics from the Moche and Chimu cultures dating back to approximately 800 AD depict this breed. Its exact origin is unknown, but it seems to have always been used for companionship. The Incas are known to have used them has bed warmers. The body temperature of these canines is higher than other breeds so they’re supposed to be ideal for snuggling on a cool night.

The gene dictating hairlessness also affects their number of teeth. The hairless dog lacks molars and often premolars - the same teeth located at the back of your mouth and used for grinding. If you’ve ever watched a dog chewing on a bone, you may have noticed that they work the bone at the back of their mouth. The Peruvian hairless dog doesn’t have that ability so their diet is limited. Out in the wild, they hunt small lizards; prey any bigger would pose a mastication problem. It looks like Llaipi and Al-Aec, residents of Huaca de Luna (Temple of the Moon) near Trujillo, are well taken care of – the reverence for this ancient breed continues.



The hairless dog received national attention in November when the Peruvian government offered a 4-month old puppy named “Machu Picchu” (nicknamed “Ears”) to our new president elect and his family. Despite being naked, warm to the touch, and devoid of some teeth, they make ideal pets for people with allergies. Malia Obama is allergic to dogs. Throw some clothes on the little guy (he seems a little underdressed if you ask me), and maybe we’ll see him strutting his stuff on the White House lawn, conjuring thoughts of Peru in all that see him.

Arrival in Lima, Peru

I finally made it to my hotel in the Miraflores section of Lima just after 1 am local time (two hours ahead of Denver). Total flight time was 8.5 hours passing through Houston International Airport. Most flights from the US arrive in Lima near midnight. If you’re headed to another destination, e.g. Cusco the next morning on an internal flight, try booking a room at the Ramada Costa del Sol at the airport. You’ll give yourself an hour’s worth of additional sleep.

As I made my way through the immigration line at the Lima airport I was thinking how smooth the day had gone. I should’ve never let that thought make its way into conscious thought. As my passport was being scanned, I saw an Interpol warning flash on the screen and the man behind the desk asked me if I had any problems he needed to know about. I said no, and he let me go after a few moments of my heart racing and blood rushing to my face.

A few minutes later at the baggage carousel, an Interpol officer approached me and said he needed to verify my documentation. I thought my heart was racing before. Now, my chest felt like it was going to explode. I told him I wouldn’t go into an office without someone who spoke fluent English and Spanish with us. Luckily, I was able to find a volunteer eager to practice his English. I’m still not sure why my passport was flagged, but apparently I’m not the only Sheridan Samano out there, and the other one must pose a security risk. I always thought my name was unique enough to be a “one and only”.

I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come over the next 9 days. Let me take that back. I guess the adventure has officially begun.

Darwin's Finches: Galapagos Islands

November 24, 2008 marks the 149th anniversary of the release of Charles Darwin’s infamous book “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection”. In honor of this anniversary, I thought it appropriate to write about Darwin’s finches and the Galapagos Islands.

When Charles Darwin comes up in conversation (it does happen, I promise), mention of the Galapagos Islands is sure to follow. The Galapagos have been described as a world within themselves. The islands are home to unique species like giant tortoises, equatorial penguins, and swimming iguanas. Darwin’s finches are also famous residents of the islands.


Darwin visited the Galapagos for five weeks in 1835 as he worked as a ship’s naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle. While exploring the islands, he collected a variety of plants and animals to study in greater detail later on. Upon his return home to England, he passed his feathered collection along to the renowned ornithologist John Gould for further examination. Gould categorized the finches he received into 13 species. All of the finches were remarkably similar in morphology except for their beaks.

Darwin was dumbfounded by Gould’s findings. Could it be that the 13 species had evolved from a single ancestral finch? The answer is yes, and the finches helped serve as a springboard to Darwin’s scientific breakthrough – nature selects for characteristics that make organisms better adapted to their environment, changing populations over time.


The beak is an avian necessity for handling and manipulating food. For anyone that’s ever put out birdfeeders for a little backyard birding, you know that different seeds attract different birds. Goldfinches love thistle, hummingbirds love nectar, and jays love peanuts. Sunflower seeds, an all-purpose food, are attractive to a variety of species.

When you live on islands that are geologically young like the Galapagos, there isn’t a wide variety of food available. Darwin described the islands as “a scattering of rocks with the scrubbiest of vegetation”. A finch that lives on the islands and eats the same food as all of the other finches faces fierce competition. Competition is a lose-lose situation. Character displacement, evolutionary changes in species to minimize competition, may best be seen in the beaks of Darwin’s finches.

Among the 13 species of finches on the Galapagos, you can see cactus finches, a vegetarian finch, ground finches, tree finches, and even a woodpecker finch. Just by reading the list of names, you get an idea of their food preferences, all of which are slightly different. Less competition often leads to greater reproductive success, the goal of survival.


If you make it to the Galapagos and come across some of Darwin’s finches, pause for a moment. You just might see the beak of the finch in action.

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve: Mexico

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are notable for their long-distance migrations. The fact that an insect measuring a fifth of the weight of penny can fly a journey totaling up to 3,000 miles is amazing. What’s even more impressive is that the individuals that make the journey south have never been to their winter destination before.

Every year millions and millions of monarchs in North America, east of the Continental Divide, migrate to central Mexico to spend the winter months. These butterflies aren’t the same individuals that journeyed north earlier in the year. They’re the great, great grandchildren (grand-butterfly?) generation. The butterflies appear to fly on pure instinct, and the oyamel fir (Abies religiosa) forests in the states of Michoacan and Mexico are apparently an irresistible pull for the monarchs. Only monarchs born in the late summer or fall make the southward migration.


Larval monarchs feed on milkweed plants (Asclepias spp.) after they hatch from eggs. Milkweeds contain a noxious sap that makes monarchs, in turn, unpalatable to potential predators. Adult monarchs feed on nectar, but their high contrast coloration is a warning sign to potential predators of toxicity stemming from their larval days.

The range of oyamel firs in Mexico is extremely limited. The species is only found on 12 isolated mountaintops in Mexico’s Transverse Neovolcanic Belt. Oyamel forests are wet and cool and this environment helps slow the metabolism of monarchs so they can conserve food reserves throughout the winter to make the journey northward in the spring.

Milkweed population declines in North America and deforestation in the Mexican wintering grounds are leading to a decrease in monarch numbers. The 2008 designation of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is an attempt to protect valuable monarch winter habitat from further destruction.

Dias de los Muertos: Mexico

Today and yesterday, November 1st and 2nd, mark the Days of the Dead (Dias los Muertos) in Mexico. November 1st is in honor of deceased children and infants (Dia de los Inocentes – Day of the Innocents) and November 2nd is in honor of adults (Dia de los Muertos).


Whenever I bring up Day of the Dead in conversation, it’s usually met with a response that insinuates morbidity. In fact, Day of the Dead is quite the opposite. Families and friends gather on these two days to celebrate the lives and memories of loved ones that have been lost over the years. It is a celebratory holiday and one of my most memorable travel experiences was a trip to Michoacan, Mexico to partake in the festivities.

Mexican legend has it that people die three deaths. The first death occurs when our body ceases to function. The second death happens when our body is buried, returned to the earth, and placed out of sight. The third, and final death, ensues when there is no one left to remember us. Dias de los Muertos is a way to keep the third death from coming to pass.


Over the two Days of the Dead, it is believed that the souls of the deceased find it easier to visit lost family members and friends. Because of this, people visit cemeteries in anticipation of this annual return. Altars are erected at the grave site and ofrendas (offerings) of the deceased’s favorite foods and libations are placed on the altars - enticement and sustenance for the soul’s long journey. Dias de los Muertos is a celebration of life as the thought of death is embraced and accepted.


If you ever have the opportunity to visit Mexico during this time of year, it’s an experience that provides insight into a national tradition that blends a variety of cultures spanning thousands of years. In the process, Dias de los Muertos just might change the way you view death.

A Step Forward for Sustainable Tourism

Sustainable tourism is gaining increased exposure these days and that’s great news for those of us embarking on this endeavor. More travelers are requesting sustainable vacations and more destinations around the world are seeking to lessen the impacts of rising visitor numbers.


Sustainable tourism is “envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems." (United Nations World Tourism Organization) However, there does seem to be some confusion on how to attain sustainability and travelers looking to leave a lighter footprint currently must choose from over 300 different sustainable tourism standards - no easy task.


Here’s some good news. United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner recently announced the first-ever globally relevant sustainable tourism criteria at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. The new criteria – based on thousands of best practices culled from the existing standards currently in use around the world – were developed to offer a common framework to guide the emerging practice of sustainable tourism and to help businesses, consumers, governments, non-governmental organizations and education institutions to ensure that tourism helps, rather than harms, local communities and the environment. Green Globe International, Inc., the premier international green brand for sustainable tourism, has endorsed the new criteria.


The criteria require that tourism operations conduct their business without having an adverse impact on a destination's habitats, local communities, or cultural heritage. If widely adopted, the standard could further expand efforts to green the supply chain of hotels and resorts as well as lessen the impact on wildlife and local communities. This initiative should make information more readily available to travelers and travel providers, and will help ensure that the information is reliable – a step forward, and in the right direction, for sustainable tourism.

27th Great American Beer Festival: Denver

The alcohol found in beer, wine and liquor is a byproduct of ethanol fermentation, a type of anaerobic metabolism. Some organisms like yeast live in environments where oxygen is absent so they have to extract energy from food without the aid of the gas we humans require for survival. Instead of completely breaking glucose down to carbon dioxide, ethanol (drinking alcohol) is formed. Brewers and winemakers have taken advantage of this microbial process for thousands of years.

Okay, enough with the science. Let’s talk about the 27th Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and the guests of honor – 1800 types of beer from over 400 breweries scattered across the U.S. landscape. According to the “Guinness Book of World Records” this is the largest selection of beers on tap at one time. Here’s another interesting factoid: Denver, the host city for this annual festival, brews more beer per capita than any other city in the nation.

The brewery industry has been at the leading edge of the sustainability movement so environmental consciousness was a theme at this year’s GABF. Many breweries are adopting techniques to minimize their impact, helping to make the world a better place to live (and drink) in the process. Breweries showcased at the GABF that are helping to save the world include: Airdale, Anderson Valley, Boulder Beer, Firestone Walker, Full Sail, Hoppin’ Frog, Iron Springs Pub, Kona, Lakefront, Odell, Oskar Blues, Otter Creek, Rogue’s and Sierra Nevada. New Belgium Brewery in Ft. Collins (a personal favorite) has been a leader in the sustainability movement for years now. Strategies include using recycled equipment, waste reduction, wind energy, wastewater treatment, and biodiesel fuels.


This was my first time at the GABF, and beer lovers from all over come to this event. As I was standing in line to enter the convention center, I overheard the group behind me talking about their 25-hour drive from Canada, arriving just in time for the spectacle.

Once inside the Colorado Convention Center, my beer-loving companion and I headed to the Michigan section. Liz is a Michigan transplant so she wanted to go there first. My first one-ounce sample was of Rochester Mills’ Organic Wit, and a tasty beverage it was. Throughout the evening, I made stops to savor the brewmaster flavors of Abita Turbodog from Louisiana, Shiner Bock from Texas (an old college favorite), the Widmer Brothers' Hefeweisen from Oregon, and of course, Colorado’s New Belgium organic Mothership Wit and Odell’s Easy Street Wheat. I’m not sure how many states were sampled in all, but the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts, Hawaii and several states in between, made the list. When asked at the end of the evening how many states she had visited, Liz told me “55” --- hmmmmm.


The next time you’re in the mood for a cold one, try one of the many offerings provided by the list of eco-brewers above. You can have a beer and help save the planet at the same time! That sounds like a win-win situation to me.

Pygmy Nuthatch: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Last weekend, I headed to Rocky Mountain National Park to get a couple nights of camping in while spending daylight hours watching the park’s famous elk rut. I figured the testosterone-charged bulls rapaciously defending their harems would be the wildlife highlight of the weekend; surprisingly, pygmy nuthatches took first place.


The first time I saw a pygmy nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea) was on October 18, 1997 in Rye, Colorado. I remember being excited about seeing this bird for the first time because it was another addition to my Colorado life list. Jump ahead almost 11 years to the week, and I’ve seen most of the birds that call Colorado home. So now, my avian observations focus on noting unusual activities I haven’t seen before.

On Saturday afternoon while relaxing at Moraine Park campground, I kept hearing high-pitched, rapid peep peep’s from several birds high in the canopy of a couple of ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa). Eventually, a flock of approximately 20 pygmy nuthatches came into view as they started foraging in a Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) just above me. The nuthatches were pulling winged seeds from partially open cones and then flying to nearby ponderosas. At first, I thought they were taking the seeds to other trees to remove the wings. Douglas-fir is a wind-dispersed species. The seeds are small with wings attached to aid in movement away from the cones. When I looked closer, I noticed that the nuthatches were actually caching the seeds under the bark of the ponderosa trees instead of removing wings.


Pygmy nuthatches are common residents in mature, healthy ponderosa pine forests. They’re actually considered indicator species. If the nuthatches are present in good numbers that means food and nest/roost sites are aplenty, i.e. you have good habitat.

Pygmy nuthatches usually forage by flaking off bark of conifers in search of insects and beetles underneath. In the winter, conifer seeds make up the majority of their diet. Caching of seeds under the bark of ponderosa pines when they’re available insures that the nuthatch’s foraging behavior can remain the same even when the climate is too cold for insects. Pretty smart behavior, if you ask me, for a tiny bird with an even tinier “bird brain”.

Side note: The pygmy nuthatch was mentioned in the 2000 movie release of Charlie’s Angels. Cameron Diaz, playing the role of Natalie Cook, unlocks the secret to finding the location where Bosley is being held captive when she hears the song of a pygmy nuthatch, a species she claims is only found in Carmel, California. The bird shown in the movie and the associated call were both incorrect. As a birder, it’s always fun to point out the inaccuracies in avian factoids used in movies and television. This one was an easy one, but I’d like to know why the nuthatch made it into the script in the first place.

Praying Mantis: Denver

Last weekend, I spent most of Sunday preparing a section of my garden for next spring’s planting of native species in the hopes of creating a more wildlife-friendly space. I was clearing water-hungry plants from a small plot and amending the soil with organic fertilizer and mycorrhizae – the good stuff plants love. In the midst of the activity, I noticed a large insect crossing the sidewalk adjacent to the plot. I think it must’ve been disturbed by the hullabaloo in its environs. As I moved in for a closer look, I identified the creature as a praying mantis. The last time I saw a praying mantis was in January at Carara National Park in Costa Rica and I’ve always thought of mantises as being tropical residents. Forget the fact that I’ve seen mantis eggs for sale at plant nurseries here in Denver.


Upon my discovery, I immediately grabbed the cameras (yes, plural). I wanted still photos and video footage of this garden visitor. After the photo shoot, I went inside to research the presence of praying mantises in Colorado. Here’s some of what I learned.

Praying mantises have a long history in human lore. The word “mantis” has a Greek origin that refers to a soothsayer (one who claims to be able to foretell events or predicts the future; a seer). The “praying” part of the name comes from the insect’s ambush posture when the two front legs are bent, as if in prayer. Praying mantises are daytime carnivores that only eat live prey and their favorite delicacies are soft-bodied insects like flies. If a prey item happens by, the mantis reaches out quickly, and spines on its forelegs aid in pinching the prey to keep it still until immobilized (I’ve intentionally omitted the gory details).


The bulls-eye on the inside of this mantis’ forelegs is characteristic of the species Mantis religiosa, a European native, but a species now well-established in Colorado. This is also the same species I encountered at Carara National Park. Members of Mantis religiosa first arrived in the U.S. years ago as passengers on plants. I guess you could say this garden visitor had ancestors that were “world travelers”. As a result, I didn’t have to travel further than my own front yard to see this species up close and personal. I wonder if this mantis was acting as a soothsayer, predicting that the grass was greener on the other side of the yard.

Coca Leaf: Peru

If you Google coca on the internet, many of the websites you’ll pull up deal with the carbonated, caffeinated, and shall I say tasty, beverage Coca-Cola™. This makes sense seeing as the popular beverage, invented in 1886 by a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia, contained extracts from the coca plant (Erythroxylon spp.) until the early 1900’s. Upon my arrival in Cusco, the Inca capital of Peru, I was on the lookout for a coca beverage of a different name – mate de coca (coca tea).



The coca plant is native to the Andes mountain range in South America. This species is venerated by the Incas, both past and present. Coca leaves have either been chewed or seeped to make tea by South American indigenous cultures for thousands of years. In Cusco, a city more than 11,000 feet in elevation, coca tea is often times given to travelers to counteract altitude sickness. The tea is known to stimulate respiratory function and to act as an analgesic.

I’m prone to altitude sickness, so I was looking forward to indulging in a beverage sure to counteract the negative side effects associated with my arrival in this two-mile high city. Unfortunately, the coca tea didn’t help me, and I spent my first few hours in Cusco lying flat on my back having succumbed to altitude sickness. Later on in the trip, I discovered a possible explanation for the tea’s lack of effectiveness.

Enter our guide Wagner at Machu Picchu two days later. Wagner began our tour with the requisite information about Inca construction, their way of life, and agricultural methods. As our tour was winding down, he gathered us into an empty building. I felt like we were about to become the newest members of a secret society. Wagner lowered his voice as he began to extol the virtues of the infamous coca leaf in Inca history.

In Peru, coca leaves are a common sight at markets, but it’s illegal to leave the country with the leaves in tow (unless you live in Bolivia). The coca leaf, admittedly, has attained notoriety; but is the notoriety a byproduct of guilt by association? Cocaine is the villain in this story (as it should be). The coca leaf, however, is a different matter altogether. The percentage of cocaine in green, dry coca leaves is merely 0.01% (obviously not even enough to counteract my altitude sickness). Synthetic cocaine, the “recreational” variety, has a concentration of 50-100%. Now I’m no mathematician, but that’s a big difference.



During the course of Wagner’s presentation, he focused on the chewing of coca leaves (which in actuality is a sucking of the leaves). So what’s the benefit of chewing coca leaves if it has such a small amount of the active ingredient? That depends on whether or not you chew the leaves before a meal or whether it’s after a meal. The effects are opposite.

If you chew coca leaves prior to eating, it stimulates catabolism, or digestion, thereby promoting appetite suppression. Your body thinks it has just eaten and it’s in a restful mode.

If you chew coca leaves after a meal, it stimulates anabolism, the opposite of catabolism – think of anabolic steroids and major league baseball fame. Coca after a meal puts the body into a higher gear, increasing respiration, relieving pain, and ultimately promoting an increase in muscle mass and subsequent weight gain if you’re participating in strenuous activities. Aha! That just may answer the question: “How did the Incas move those huge stones?” This question was asked on more than one occasion during this trip.

It may also explain why I still felt the negative effects of altitude sickness in Cusco even though I partook in some coca tea – I hadn’t eaten a meal yet. My body was coaxed into a resting state instead of being amped up. Catabolism was stimulated instead of anabolism.

Next time I travel to Cusco, I will make sure to have a snack or meal before drinking coca tea. Better yet, maybe I’ll chew leaves since the effects are supposed to be greater than with the tea. I will also pick up one of those thought-provoking t-shirts stating “La hoja de coca no es droga”. Translation: the coca leaf is not a drug.

Peruvian Orchid and Krusty the Clown

Is there really an orchid that looks like a character on the Simpsons? Believe it or not there is: the Peruvian Wiñay Wayna orchid bears a striking resemblance to Krusty the Clown of Simpsons’ fame.

If you travel to Machu Picchu and keep an eye out for members of family Orchidaceae, always botanical crowd pleasers, you just might spot the common Wiñay Wayna orchid (Epidendrum secundum). Wiñay Wayna means “forever young” in the local Quechua language. It’s one of the most common orchids inhabiting the areas near Machu Picchu and along the Inca trail. This orchid species flowers all year long – it is forever young. Look at it closely, and you just might be able to make out Krusty’s crazy hair, big eyes, and an even bigger mouth.