The Andes Mountains of Peru, seemingly endless valleys, deep river gorges, and snow-capped mountain peaks, birth the headwaters of the Amazon basin.
Flowing from the eastern slopes of the Andes two mighty rivers converge.
With the union of the Maranon and Ucayali rivers the Amazon River is born.

Here a one million-acre Amazon rainforest reserve is protected by a handful of Indian communities.

Small tributaries webbed from the surrounding lowlands flow into the Amazon River.
One, the Yanayacu de Yacapana River, is home to the San Juan de Yanayacu Indians, and the northern buffer zone of their community reserve.
The reserve area is one of the most biologically diverse places on earth.
Monkeys, jaguars, untold numbers of reptiles, birds, and insects, live amidst jungle flora and fauna just as they have for countless generations.

Parts of the Reserve consist of flood plains, rivers, streams, lakes and upland primary forest each supporting rich localized ecosystems.

There are over 132 species of mammals, 13 of which are primates.
The river and lake waters are home to gray and pink dolphins, Amazonian manatees, Giant River Otters, Black Caimans and giant South American River Turtles.
Land species include Jaguars, Capuchin Monkeys and Spider Monkeys. The Black Spider Monkey, the Orange-chested Spider Monkey, the Woolly Monkey, and the Howler Monkey are all considered endangered.
More than 500 species of birds live here, including five of the eight species of Macaw found in Peru.