Jaunumi no Indijas, tauriņš fotogrāfs ir nolaupīti. Vietējā parks amatpersona, kas viesojās Ziemeļaustrumu province Arunāčala Pradēša tika pieņemts naktī banda bruņotu jauniešu-nemierniekiem. Centieni atrast viņu kavēja laika apstākļiem un tālvadības reljefa. India has recently become one of the most difficult countries to conduct research in, and now we are all reminded of its continuing history of violence. Often it is within the remote and wild portions of a developing country that harbors both stunning biodiversity and militant dissidents. While in Ecuador my group kept an eye out for Columbian FARC rebels who may have strayed across the border; thankfully it was only a minute possibility they would be there in the first place, and nothing was seen. I think some of my most harrowing field work has been along the US-Mexican boarder states and in Mexico itself. Drug runners would rather shoot you before asking you to move out of their way, un viesabonēšanas Banditos bija atbildīgi par slepkavību kolēģiem draugs Oaxaca gadus atpakaļ. Not surprisingly, vilinājums neizmantota daudzveidības tur velkot mūs. Palieciet droši jomā!
es, arī, ir bijusi mana visvairāk biedējoši pieredzi Meksikas dienvidos, kur Chuck Bellamy un man ir izgājušas vairākas reizes pēdējos gados. Mēs regulāri apšaubīta militārā policija, ko es domāju, nav apnikt mani pārāk daudz (tik ilgi, kamēr es varētu veiksmīgi pārliecināt viņus, ka viss, ko mēs darām, ir vākt bugs, un ka mums nav nekādas pistoles). Tomēr, Vienu reizi es saskārās ar sieviete valkā bandanna pār viņas seju – Man bija apmēram puse jūdzi no auto un Čaks, un viņa bija skaidri satraukti par kaut ko, but I couldn’t understand what she was saying because she was talking too fast. I started getting that sinking feeling that I’d stumbled onto something I shouldn’t see, so I played the dumb American and acted like I didn’t know what was going on, then quickly hoofed it back to the car. I really don’t know what would’ve happened, but my gut still tells me I was on the edge of something bad. We want to go back this fall, but the drug violence really has us thinking twice about it.
US border also has been tough – my truck was broken into along the Rio Grande – twice (5 miles from and 10 years after the first time). Izņemot to, ka, just a few instances where border agents thought I looked suspicious and questioned me pretty hard.
Ecuador, South Africa, Argentina? Ningunos problemas.
Mexico keeps calling. I recently was added onto a Mexican collecting permit and it’s such a double edged sword. Hopefully I’ll get down there soon…and make it back! I’ve had some great experiences down in Baja, but the mainland Sonora/Chihuahua/Sinaloa area is spectacularly diverse and spectacularly dangerous.