harpy eagle, the white-necked jacobin, the scarlet macaw, the rufescent tiger heron, the king vulture, the roseate spoonbill, the crested eagle, the razor-billed curassow, the blue-and-yellow macaw, the variegated tinamou, the sunbittern, the red-and-green macaw, the horned curassow, the golden-tailed sapphire, etc. Silkhenge mystery In 2013, Georgia Tech researcher Troy Alexander discovered four bizarre gazebo-shaped spider nests while visiting the Reserve. The nests, which have since come to be known as Silkhenge structures, were each composed of an undocumented silk compound and consisted of a circular fence-like formation encompassing a spire at its center. Alexander's subsequent Reddit inquiry was unable to identify the peculiar nest structure pictured or the species of arthropod associated with it. Later that year, an expedition to the Reserve led by Phil Torres observed 45 additional like structures. While the team successfully documented several spiderlings hatching from the nests (video of which was later posted online), none of them survived into adulthood. Furthermore, the team was unable to observe any member of the species to exhibit the characteristics indicative of adult arthropods. With DNA testing proving inconclusive, the species native to Silkhenge structures remains unidentified. Anthropology The Ese Ejja and Pukirieri native peoples inhabit the buffer zone surrounding the reserve. Recreation The main recreational activities in the reserve are wildlife observation and camping, as there are several spots furnished for those purposes. Lake Sandoval, 30 minutes from Puerto Maldonado, is the most visited place in the reserve, its shores covered with palm trees which are home to macaws, can be toured by boat. Two other lakes can be reached after 2 and 3 hour trips, respectively. There are also many mineral licks where birds and mammals gather and are popular nature watching spots. Access The reserve can be reached by boat from the town of Puerto Maldonado. Environmental issues Illegal gold mining is the main threat to the environment in the reserve. This activity has destroyed more than 450 hectares of forest inside the area. References External links Tambopata National Reserve. Official site (in Spanish). Park profile at Parkswatch.org Park profile at Protectedplanet.net Tambopata Reserve Society (TReeS) National Reservations of Peru Geography of Madre de Dios Region Protected areas established in 2000 Tourist attractions in Madre de Dios Region 2000 establishments in Peru