Help us bring science, art, and storytelling together to protect bats in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth: Manu National Park, Peru!

This summer, an international group of scientists, artists, and storytellers will conduct fieldwork in the Peruvian Andes to study how climate change is reshaping one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth.

We are raising funds to bring filmmaker Jonah Wafula-Card and a student cinematographer into the field for two weeks to document the people, science, and creative collaboration behind this expedition. The footage they capture will serve as the foundation for a future documentary and will also be transformed into educational materials freely available for public learning.

This first filming expedition is a critical step. By capturing early footage and learning how to work in remote field conditions, Jonah’s team will be able to develop the story, strengthen grant proposals, and help secure funding for a full documentary during our second expedition.

Your support helps us take the first step toward telling a story that connects science, conservation, art, and human resilience.

Jonah’s vision—Filmmaker Jonah Wafula-Card brings a deeply personal perspective to this project.

As a child growing up in Kenya, Jonah spent his early years exploring Kenyan beaches with his father. But his life changed dramatically after his father died from malaria and political violence forced his family to flee their home during the 2007 Kenyan election crisis.

Jonah spent time living in a refugee camp before eventually finding stability through education.

Years later, he came to the United States to study and discovered documentary filmmaking as a way to give voice to stories that often go unheard.

When Jonah learned about this research project and the lives of bats in the Andes, he saw a reflection of his own experiences. Like many displaced people, these animals are being pushed from their homes by forces beyond their control.

Through this film, Jonah hopes to explore themes of displacement, resilience, belonging, and the interconnected lives of humans and wildlife.

The scientific expedition—More than two decades ago, an international team led by Field Museum Curator Emeritus Dr. Bruce Patterson conducted one of the most comprehensive biodiversity surveys ever completed in the tropical Andes. Along a single mountain slope in Manu National Park, they documented 222 mammal species, nearly half of all mammals found across the United States and Canada.

The region is equally extraordinary for birds and other wildlife, making the Andes one of the most important biodiversity hotspots on Earth.

Now, 25 years later, a new international team led by Field Museum curator Dr. Anderson Feijó and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Amanda Grunwald is returning to the same sites to ask a critical question: How has climate change reshaped these communities?

By resurveying the same locations, researchers can observe how species are shifting, declining, or adapting in real time. The expedition focuses especially on bats, small mammals, and birds, animals that play essential roles as pollinators, seed dispersers, and ecosystem engineers.

Understanding how these species respond to climate change helps scientists predict the future of biodiversity across the planet.

Science meets art—This expedition is not only about collecting scientific data.

Scientific artist Sienna Cenere (Sienna Art Studios) will join the team to translate the discoveries into visual artworks inspired by ecological patterns and biodiversity data. These works will form the basis of exhibitions and educational programs designed to make complex ecological ideas accessible to broad audiences.

Why your support matters:

Your contribution will help fund:

This first trip will lay the foundation for a larger documentary project during a future expedition, allowing the full story to be captured and shared with global audiences.