ARTICLES

A journey with Ivan transcends writing and photography. Of course, he shows you where he is, through words and images. But that’s just an entrée. When I read his work, I’m carried into a full tactile experience. I feel the heat of substrate warming my feet. I hear the whoop and whistle of water dancing around rocks as it migrates permanently downstream. I feel Ivan’s adrenaline, the electric tension upon sighting a catfish lurking between rocks. I taste the air, heavy with chirruping bugs.

Conservation relies on empathy for what is being conserved. Empathy relies on communication. Ivan is one of nature’s great translators, communicating to the senses the very emotions of animals, plants, even the land. ‘We are here,’ they say through him. ‘We are here and we matter.’

In an age where many explorers are more interested in their own egos than the habitats they’re trespassing upon, it is a rare find to read discovery narratives tinged with an undercurrent of guilt. ‘I shouldn’t be here,’ Ivan suggests so often, so unwittingly in his work. ‘I shouldn’t be here, but I have to be.’

That is how you describe Ivan Mikolji. The man is a living documentary.

Nathan Hill
Associate Editor of Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, UK

Exploring the Western Guiana Shield

As I stand there, looking at the large inselbergs in the distance, I wonder how mind blowing this area of the Western Guiana Shield must have been to Humboldt, 222 years ago. I also start thinking; if I was a fleeing colonist trying to burry a treasure, which of those inselbergs would I have chosen. I eeny, meeny, miny, moe, and pick the second one from left to right. That is the one I will visit after exploring the morichal.

Red Line Lizard Tetra Iguanodectes sp in the Wild

The legend says there is a half human creature which appears to people in the middle of nowhere, deep in the middle of the Venezuelan Amazonas jungle. Locals call it “The Primitive Man” and say that it is a bit smaller than a human, hairy and extremely aggressive.

Wild Aquarium

Wild Aquarium is a movement which involves visiting an aquatic habitat such as a lake, river or stream and setting up a temporal aquarium in situ with the aim of mimicking the habitats seen on the spot.

Green Neon Tetras in the Wild

“Good morning Ivan. Did you know that we have the best pineapples here in the Amazon?”

“Good morning Alipio, I did not know that. Let’s hurry before we miss the sunrise.”

Blue Phantom Plecos L128 Hemiancistrus sp in the wild

There are two incredible things that make the Blue Phantom Plecos habitat even more special. The first one is that in some areas the chrome rocks are filled with some of the world’s largest rock art, also referred to as pre-columbian petroglyphs.

Oscar Cichlids in the Wild

Oscars are present in many countries in South America. They have adapted to diverse water conditions, river systems, and coexist with different species.

The Scarecory

I am standing in the middle of the creek, motionless. The sky is blue with no clouds and the sun is shining brightly. A soft tropical breeze is swaying the tree canopy which seems over 20 meters above. Boy, the trees are tall in this place.

Amazon Leaffish in the Wild

M. polyacanthus is a widespread species present in many South American countries from Bolivia up to the Orinoco River, in southern Venezuela.

First Live Pictures of Pristobrycon Careospinus

“there is something down here in the deep end that looks like a piranha”

Three Spotted Eartheaters

Satanoperca daemon are very common in most rivers south of the Apure River in Venezuela. The locals refer to them as Horse Face or Earth Suckers.

Cleared and Stained

The diaphonization process uses many chemicals which can be bought in a pharmacy or chemical store. It is important to handle all these chemicals correctly and with caution.

Designation of a Neotype a Redescription of Serrasalmus nalseni 2009

We present a redescription of Serrasalmus nalseni Fernández-Yépez, 1969, based on new specimens from the type locality.

Ram Cichlids Mikrogeophagus Ramirezi in the Wild

Ram cichlids habitats vary a lot due to their extended distribution. In some flooded area habitats they can be seen migrating by the millions.

The Link Between Science and Art

Creating environmental artwork is not as easy as it seems. Preparations start way before the actual expeditions take place. I usually start by asking some of the worlds best botanists, ichthyologists, and entomologists, who have teamed up with me in my ventures, which specimens they have no images of.