Richard Fowler (naturalist)
Richard "Aukcoo" Fowler is an American veteran, naturalist, and jungle expedition guide based in Iquitos, Peru. He is an expert on psychotropic plants and has lived in the jungle since enlisting for two tours of Vietnam back in 1968.[1] Fowler has said that he originally made the decision to go to Vietnam because he felt the rainforest calling to him; once there, he felt that its foliage gave reason to the chaos of his life.[1] He rose to fame as a key character in Tahir Shah's nonfiction books Trail of Feathers and House of the Tiger King and has been described as a "hero of people whose personal libraries consist of exactly: Soldier of Fortune back issues, Gary Larson cartoons, Apocalypse Now: The Picture Book, and Heart of Darkness".[2]
When Shah first arrives in Iquitos searching for a guide to take him deep into the jungle for his Trail of Feathers expedition, a local American named "Max" tells him: "You need a man who can trek through the rain-forest in the dead of night...A man who can kill an anaconda with his bare hands; who can live on a diet of tree grubs washed down with his own urine; a man who's taken ayahuasca a hundred times, who'll protect you if it means sacrificing his own life...a man who has no fear" and subsequently presents him with Fowler, who, according to Max, fulfills all the above requirements.[3] Shah's first impression of Fowler is equally impressive: "Standing in the frame was a ferocious-looking foreigner. A shade over six feet, he was as lean as a race horse, with a back so straight as to be unnatural. He was drenched with rain and dressed from top to toe in camouflage...His unshaven face was daubed red in warpaint, its long chin etched with a diagonal scar. Around his neck were military dog tags."[3]
Fowler ultimately gets the job as Shah's guide after telling him: "I promise that if you hire me, I will keep you alive." Fowler kept true to his promise, and Shah eventually dedicated the Trail of Feathers book to him: "I am grateful to Richard Fowler, 101st Airborne Division, for keeping his promise."[3]
Fowler returns as a key character in Shah's 2004 book House of the Tiger King, despite the fact that "He was an impossible character and I had vowed never to communicate with him again, let alone ever work with him...the fact remained: I needed a security man. However impossible he was, Richard was a known entity."[1]
"Richard’s niche is mostly hard core, adventurous, soldier of fortune, survivalist types. His tours are rough, with few comforts."[4]
Fowler's wilderness tips
Fowler's website has a wealth of jungle knowledge and tips.[5]
- First rule of nature: The more noise you make the less you will see.
- First rule of hiking: Travel light, with well broken-in foot gear.
- First rule on breaking in: It takes most people three days to break into an activity they are not used to.
- First rule for camp: Before you set up for the night, look up!
- First rule for moving through the jungle: Don't run through the jungle at night.
- First rule of gear: Long pants, long shirts.
- First rule of navigation: You're never lost. Stay cool.
- First rules of hygiene: Keep finger nails short and out of your mouth.
References
- 1 2 3 Shah, Tahir (2004). House of the Tiger King. London: John Murray. pp. 25, 29–30. ISBN 0-7195-6611-8.
- ↑ Staff. "The Sloe Tide". Retrieved 10 September 2012.
- 1 2 3 Shah, Tahir (2001). Trail of Feathers. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson. pp. 133–134. ISBN 0-297-64592-7.
- ↑ Grimes, Bill. "Is Richard Aukcoo Fowler the Iquitos Scoundrel?". Retrieved 10 September 2012.
- ↑ Fowler, Richard. "Wilderness Tips by Richard Fowler". Retrieved 10 September 2012.
External links
- Custom Wilderness Adventures Official website for Richard Fowler's jungle expeditions
- IgoUgo Amazon Jungle Guides in Peru—Richard Fowler