Miguel Caireta Camps ’25, Philosophy

Miguel Caireta Camps ’25

Major

Philosophy

Project Title

Human-Animal Encounters and Conservation in the Urbanizing Amazon

Minor(s): Computer Science, Latin American Studies

Located within the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos is the largest city in the world with no road access. Teeming with biological and cultural diversity, the city has become a center of commerce, human migration, research and wildlife consumption and trade, making it a site of crucial conservation potential. This project was focused on examining how the growing tourism industry in the region relates to human-wildlife interactions and conservation. Together with two other interns, I documented human-wildlife encounters and interactions at touristic sites, including rescue centers, zoos and open-air markets. We complemented this observational research by administering over 370 surveys to tourists in the Centro de Rescate Amazónico. Through these surveys and YouTube media analysis carried out by the other interns, we collected quantitative data on tourists’ behaviors such as purchasing animals or consuming wild meat. I then carried out statistical analyses on both data sets, identifying significant correlations between specific tourist demographics (e.g., nationality) and participation in activities of conservation interest (e.g., holding or purchasing animals). While the experience certainly exposed me to the harsh realities of wildlife vulnerability in the region, the research that we carried out promises crucial insights into paths forward for responsible tourism and wildlife conservation.