TRACKING
We understand that many people dream of seeing a wild bushmaster in its habitat. Witnessing this species in the wild can be a very exhilarating experience. Since our project is studying wild bushmasters and are regularly tracking them, we have the wonderful opportunity to show you these animals in their natural habitat!
It is possible to join a tracking activity with our researchers, in order to try and locate one of our registered bushmasters. Your visit directly contributes to funding the project and its work. We thank you for considering going out tracking with us!
But... it is important to keep some things in mind.
Rules & Regulations
Tracking bushmasters is NOT an attraction. It is part of our scientific program. It is a privilege and it comes with a certain set of rules and regulations. These rules have been established to keep the animals as stress free as possible, as well as to keep our data collection unaffected. It is of the utmost importance that the animals in the program do not suffer any negative effects from being visited!
Before any tracking activity, the guests will get an elaborate explanation on what is to come.
If you are planning a visit to our project with the intentions to track wild bushmasters, please read through the rules and regulations below.
- Tracking bushmasters is NO guarantee for success!
The tracked individual can be hiding underground or in a hiding space, making it impossible to see. It may also be out of reach of the responder, making locating the target difficult or even impossible. Tracking in an area with very dense vegetation and a lot of differences in elevation might also hinder the tracking process.
- Tracking bushmasters is NO tourist attraction!
It is a scientific study and our data is priceless to us. This means that tracking can only be done on data collection days, which will be executed only once or twice a week. It is also highly dependent on the weather and availability of our researchers.
- Tracking bushmasters is a HANDS-OFF experience!
All of our registered bushmasters are studied on their natural behavior. Handling or approaching them too closely can cause stress, often resulting in a change in behavior. This all can lead to the contamination of our data. If you're going out tracking, follow the guidelines of the researcher completely to avoid any unnecessary stress.
- Tracking bushmasters is NOT a photography tour!
If you want to take lots of time snapping beautiful shots of a wild bushmaster, tracking one might not be the best idea for you. We don't allow the use of flash equipment and the distance to the animal will be dependent on the behavior of the animal and will be determined on the spot by the researcher in charge. Of course, in-situ shots can be taken.
- Tracking bushmasters is NO walk in the park!
Bushmasters can be virtually anywhere! Getting to these locations might require some serious bushwhacking. Prepare to cross rivers, crawl over/under fallen trees, stand knee-deep in mud, crawl up steep hills and hike through the middle of the jungle for several hours.
- Tracking is NOT free!
Of course, tracking these beasts comes with a lot of costs and work. Not only for the equipment, but also for our staff and guides. It is for this reason that we imply a cost of $120 per person to join on a tracking activity. If we fail to find a bushmaster on a tracking day, we'll give you a $60 refund per person that joined the tracking. This fee directly contributes to funding the project and its work.
IMPORTANT:
Please notify us well in advance of your arrival and interest in joining a tracking day. We don't go out and track just on any day and tracking is not always available. If you're interested in tracking bushmasters, it is best to adjust your schedule according to the available tracking days.
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