Hot and humid, with a threat of anacondas — just another day at work in the Amazon

A love of photography has taken a Newark man half-way round the world to work in the depths of the Amazon rainforest.

Mark Fernley spends nine months of the year in the Peruvian Amazon where he has regular encounters with ­— among other wildlife ­— snakes, spiders, monkeys and big cats.

The 28-year-old is the field director with Untamed Photography, a company that runs wildlife photography workshops, tours and internships in some of the least explored parts of the world.

Despite sometimes harsh conditions ­— the temperature can reach 38 degrees in the shade and there is 100% humidity ­— Mark said the rainforest was an exciting place to work.

“There are snakes, spiders and large mammals that surround you at every turn of the trail,” he said.

“Lots of things can sting you and larvae burrow into your skin, but that’s normal now.”

To guard against injury or disease, Mark advises wearing rubber boots when walking and staying hydrated.

He said they had to be wary of anacondas and black caiman.

He was 13 when he first became interested in wildlife photography, and what started as a hobby became a career.

Mark was educated at Worksop College and studied photography at Nottingham Trent University.

Mirror image stimulation

He worked on conservation projects in Botswana and South Africa as a wildlife photographer for four years, before joining a conservation project in Costa Rica and other parts of Central America.

His work led him to the Peruvian Amazon where he set up Untamed Photography with colleague Chris Kirby.

“Our technology is increasingly being used to answer biological research questions and to help overcome threats to wild nature and biodiversity conservation areas,” Mark said.

The work with conservation biologist teams includes species identification and promoting what they do to a wider audience via the internet and social media.

Mark is currently working on a long-term study of mammal and bird behaviour using mirror image stimulation.

The main objectives are to identify which species respond to their own reflection; what behaviour they display when they do; whether they quickly get used to mirrors; and to understand what factors could help explain certain behaviour.

Mark and a team of interns constructed mirrors in a part of the rainforest up-river from the town of Puerto Maldonado and cameras were put in place to record wildlife activity.

“When we uploaded the footage we could not believe our eyes,” said Mark.

“We captured a large male jaguar that was there for about 50 minutes.

“We had signs of aggression, social behaviour and curiosity towards the mirror.

“We noticed that the jaguar had firstly attacked the mirror indicating the signs of competitor recognition rather than self-recognition.

“We gathered information that the jaguar was looking behind the mirror and into the mirror itself, trying to understand where the opposition (its reflection) had disappeared to.”

Another mirror in a different location captured more footage of a jaguar and of a pale-winged trumpeter bird that displayed territorial actions towards its ‘rival’ in the mirror.

Mark said conservation was a vital aspect of their work.

“We are fighting constantly to protect concessions and wildlife against illegal logging and illegal gold-mining,” he said.

“Getting out as much imagery and videography of wildlife on social media and internet is slowly, along with many other things from other conservationists, bringing tourism in and helping to protect the land from destruction.”

Mark said he missed the rainforest when he was back in Newark.

“But I have to admit coming back to Newark for fish and chips at the end of the year is heaven,” he said.

“I enjoy Newark’s beer as well, because in Peru it is not so good.”

Mark Fernley and Untamed Photography offer internships in the lowland Peruvian Amazon, including placements with its long-term Mirror Image Stimulation Study. Interns work with professional photographers and biologists from around the world.

More information is available at the Untamed Photography website

The company’s photography workshops offer the chance to picture wildlife ranging from macaws to venomous snakes.

More information is available at the Untamed Photography website