Today’s tropical rainforests, some of the most pristine, wildlife-rich places left on earth, are facing environmental challenges like never before. Mark will accompany you on a photographic rainforest visit, explaining why these forests are of vital importance to the planet’s health, and describing how deforestation and other human-induced threats are challenging their very existence. He will recount how, as an Earthwatch volunteer, he assisted biologists working in Peru to assess the health of the forest and rivers, and to teach the indigenous people how to sustain an equilibrium that can keep the forest healthy for generations to come. His talk also documents the work being done to protect the region’s monkeys, jaguars and other terrestrial mammals, caiman, macaws, manatees and fish, as well as its unique pink fresh-water dolphins. The discussion covers both the damage that environmental exploitation has caused and the future outlook for these critically important forests.