The biodiversity of Prolongacion Alerta (San Martin, Peru)
During my four-month journey through the San Martín region of Peru, between the Amazon basin and the Andean foothills, I had the opportunity to go on several outings dedicated to biodiversity photography, either alone or with friends who share a passion for nature and photography.
The trail known as Prolongación Alerta, located in the district of La Banda de Shilcayo, leads to the Alto Shilcayo Nature Reserve. It begins just outside Tarapoto, where the city gradually gives way to the jungle. It’s a popular hiking path among locals, who come here to relax by the Shilcayo River and reconnect with nature.
Along the way, you can visit the Orquídeas Amazónicas Garden or the Ayahuasca Museum. But in this article, I invite you to look elsewhere — toward the treetops or down at the forest floor, kneeling close to the ground in search of the hidden life among leaves, moss, and rocks.
Just beyond the Villa Autónoma neighborhood, the urban noise fades away, replaced by lush tropical vegetation. The sound of the Shilcayo River, the songs of birds, and the calls of frogs accompany the walk. The deeper you go, the more the biodiversity reveals itself, leading eventually to the transition zone of the nature reserve.
The images I share here were captured over several days and nights spent in the field. To better reflect this experience, I invite you to discover the daytime biodiversity, and then the nocturnal life of the Amazon, when the forest transforms under another light.
