On the expedition, local environmentally concerned high school students will travelled to the Peruvian Amazon in summer 2024 to take part in biological conservation research and sustainability leadership initiatives. The vast, pristine Amazonian forests of northeastern Peru are home to an incredible array of wildlife. As students travelled along the Yarapa River, they spotted pink river dolphins and caimans swimming through the waters, while monkeys and extraordinary birds moved through the canopy overhead. In the lakes we found a vast array of fish, and sometimes even spotted rare giant river otters hunting and playing. We slept aboard a restored, 100-year-old air-conditioned vessel from the Rubber Boom era that is moored in the Yarapa River of the Samiria-Yavari protected areas. As part of an Earthwatch team, we helped survey the area’s wildlife to gather key information about the health of the ecosystem and the sustainability of traditional hunting and fishing. Through this community-based approach, students helped researchers develop conservation strategies that confront the current threats from climate change and ensure sustainable use of these valuable resources.