THE STATION
Cocha
Cashu Biological Station is located in the Manu National Park in southeast
Peru, and was founded as a research site over 25 years ago. Cocha Cashu
has hosted researchers from all over the world in a variety of fields.
Dr. John Terborgh, James B. Duke Professor of Environmental Sciences at
Duke University, has operated the station (under the auspices of the Peruvian
government) for more than 20 years, and has personally conducted research
on such diverse ecological topics as primates, birds, jaguars and forest
composition. Investigators from a variety of disciplines have produced
an impressive body of work, resulting in over 300 publications!
Descriptions of the environment around Cashu can be found in Terborgh
1983, 1990, Terborgh et al 1984, and Gentry 1990. The primary purpose
of the Cocha Cashu Biological Station is to provide a base within a large
region of virgin forest from which to study all aspects of the ecology
of lowland tropical forests. There has been a historical emphasis on projects
involving large vertebrates, because these tend to be reduced or extirpated
at other neotropical research sites.
If you are thinking of starting a research project at the Cocha Cashu Biological Station, the first step is to make arrangements through Prof. Terborgh's assistant to reserve space at Cocha Cashu: Heather Wilkinson (shw9@duke.edu). The station supports a maximum of 30 people, and is often at capacity from August to December. Between January and July, there is normally space available. For more information please see Reservations, in the Traveling section.
There are six wooden buildings at the station:
A field depot, mainly to store boat supplies;
A kitchen with a kerosene stove, tables, benches, and cooking paraphernalia. THERE IS NO REFRIGERATOR. There are plates, flatware and cups available, but it is better to bring your own. It is also a good idea to bring tupperware and a water bottle to transport food and drinks to the field;
Two bathrooms with one toilet in each. Normally people bathe at the lakeshore or take bucket showers;
A bath house, where you will find space to store and change your clothes. In this building a small library and satellite phone are available. You are welcome to use the phone, but calls can only be made with a personal phone card and they are very expensive (see What to Bring under Traveling). A special card is available for emergencies;
An office where there is workspace available for principal investigators and assistants (desks and shelves).
There is no dormitory. You need to bring a tent, sleeping bag, tarp, and pillow. If you are planning a long stay, bring a mattress.
View of the Bathhouse
in a particularly wet "Wet Season"