Manu is a vital area for biological and ecological research, and many scientists are interested in conducting studies within the pristine rainforest of the Biosphere Reserve.
This often takes them to the Cocha Cashu Biological Station, founded in the late 1960s before the reserve was founded it now sits within the confines of the park. The primary purpose of the Cocha Cashu Biological Station is, in their own words, “to provide a base within a large region of virgin forest from which to study all aspects of the ecology of lowland tropical forests.” It is situated on the shore of an oxbow lake formed by the Manu river and hosts researchers from all over the world. Since it was founded over 500 articles and books have resulted from research at the station.
Graduate level and undergraduate tropical biology and ecology courses are conducted at Cocha Cashu station every year. Some types of research that go one there are the use of camera traps (cameras that detect motion in order to automatically take pictures of passing wildlife), weather monitoring and tree plots.