Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm

Pilpintuwasi - butterfly house in Quechua - was founded in the 1990s by Gudrun Sperrer, an Austrian who settled near Iquitos, and it does two things. It breeds Amazonian butterflies, with a walk-through enclosure where morphos, owl butterflies and dozens of other species fly, and a breeding area showing eggs, caterpillars and pupae, which supplies stock and supports research. And it takes in animals confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade or handed over as unwanted pets: woolly and spider monkeys, a tapir, an anteater, macaws and a jaguar among them, many of which cannot be released because they were taken as infants and never learned to survive. It is a rescue centre rather than a zoo, funded largely by entry fees, and the animals are the reason most visitors come. Reaching it means a boat from Bellavista Nanay and a walk from the Padre Cocha landing.

What you actually see

• The butterfly house - a walk-through enclosure with morphos and dozens of species.
• The breeding area - eggs, caterpillars and pupae in the rearing rooms.
• The rescued animals - monkeys, a tapir, an anteater and a jaguar from the trade.
• The funding model - a rescue centre running largely on entry fees.

When to go

Year-round; mornings are best for active butterflies. Two to three hours including boat and walk. Check opening days before travelling - it is closed on some.

Honest expectations

Getting there involves a boat and a walk in heat and humidity. Monkeys roam free in parts and will take bags and glasses. Some animals show the effects of their capture. Facilities are basic and it is closed on certain days.

Nearby

Padre Cocha village is beside it; Iquitos is across the Nanay.