Thoughts on the Jungle – Highschool of Glasgow

Alannah Clancy

Never in my life did I think I’d be spending a week camping in the Mexican Calakmul jungle, let alone fleeing the extremities of the heat and mosquitos. Yet against all odds, I found myself here, having the time of my life exploring the vast variety of animals and tree species alongside the amazing, skilled professional scientists. From howler and spider monkeys to terrapins, snakes and frogs, I’ve seen it all!

It’s so humbling to be in my position and have this once in a lifetime opportunity to explore and study the jungle. We’ve been inspecting and identifying animal tracks, observing the differences in the trees over the years, and even going on herp walks to catch and study the animals we find along the way.

Through the highs and lows of my week in the jungle I have faced many challenges, but I have learned how to handle them and solve them along the way, with help from my camp mates.

Working with the incredible scientists I have discovered a lot about the importance of environmental conservation and through the many surveys, I have come to realise just how dire the consequences of deforestation and climate change are and how they can eventually lead to the demise of our incredible ecosystems and the wildlife within.

This experience was absolutely incredible and has been something I will never forget.

Photo by Imma Shah

Bhavya Sivapuram

A week in the rainforest is something I had never envisioned for myself with 7 days of sweltering heat and mosquitos. The contrast of my life back home was extremely prominent, however it made me appreciate the simpler things in life such as eating meals together and a flushing toilet.

Each day I would wake up in a tent with my friends and prepare for the day ahead. We would walk down transects and collect any data relevant to the survey, chatting with the onsite scientists as we walked. They were honestly some of the best people I have met with their love for animals and wildlife driving their passion and kind personalities. The data collected is used to understand animal behaviour and abundance for research and conservation, saving endangered species from climate change and human activities.

Throughout my week in Calakmul, I saw a variety of animals ranging from a toucan, to a terrapin, to a coral snake. Even though by the end of the week we were covered in mosquito bites, this once in a lifetime opportunity allowed me to better experience my life fully and widen my horizons.

As well as doing surveys in the forest, we had to deal with obstacles along the way e.g. evacuating during a hurricane and dealing with a flooded tent. This in hindsight made us more independent and helped build up our resilience and problem-solving skills. Overall, I am very grateful for this experience and being a part of the unforgettable Operation Wallacea.

Photo by Ernesto Reyes

Molly Gordon

In preparation for this trip, I was told time and time again that this would be a “once in a lifetime experience”. I do not think I fully understood the meaning of those words before I set off to camp in the Mexican jungle for a week (with no reception might I add).

Due to the (occasionally long and damp) surveys and the kind and engaging camp scientists, every day was filled with fascinating activities such as going on night-time herp walks in search of snakes and frogs, exploring ancient Mayan ruins, and tracking rare and vulnerable mammals along nearby transects. It felt extremely rewarding to play even a miniscule role in the essential research and conservation that Opwall does for the wildlife and general environment here in Mexico, and I feel very grateful that I was given the opportunity to do so in such a fun and safe environment. However, that is not to say that my group and I did not face our fair share of obstacles on this trip. From storms and hurricanes, to broken tent zips and mosquitoes, I feel that this experience brough my campmates and I much closer together while strengthening our problem solving skills and resilience.

This has genuinely been one of the most unique and interesting experiences that I have ever been on, and I can certainly confirm that it is definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

Title photo by Sam Leaney