On the first UN World Wildlife Day, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment along with the regulatory agency, the Wildlife Management Authority signalled their continued commitment toward ensuring the protection of Guyana’s biodiversity, particularly the traded species.
In a message issued to mark the occasion on March 3rd, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud said that in the face of changing world climate and other factors adversely affecting wildlife the world over, Guyana has managed to retain much of its wild biological diversity. However, it is critical that more emphasis is placed on raising awareness with regard to wildlife, so the addition of World Wildlife Day on the 3rd of March, every year, was a welcome inclusion to the calendar.
Persaud said that “the protection of our wildlife patrimony is the responsibility of every Guyanese, and with this in mind the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment through its regulatory agencies, specifically the Environmental Protection Agency and the Wildlife Division has given enhanced attention to their responsibility in protecting and managing our wild fauna and flora.
“We can only successfully combat the illegal trade in wildlife if it is done in a holistic manner with cooperation from other agencies,” the minister stated.
Last year, two shipments of caimans ended up in Holland with many dead on arrival because of the violation of air transportation requirements.
Persaud said that the ministry was cognizant of its responsibility to protect and conserve Guyana’s wildlife resources and this could be seen by the recently, successful piloting in the National Assembly and gazetting of the Wildlife Management and Conservation Regula-tions in November, 2013.
This will be followed by a Wildlife Import and Export Bill which will deal specifically with the regulation of international wildlife trade (import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea). This will lead to a comprehensive legislative and legal framework to address issues of conservation, management and trade of the nation wildlife species. The goal will be to develop a robust system particularly to address illegal exploitation and trade of fauna and flora.
As the first World Wildlife Day was observed, the ministry called on adjacent communities, non-governmental organisations and various agencies of the state to enhance cooperation and collaboration in managing wild fauna and flora. It urged “all Guyanese to aid in the fight to protect our prized natural heritage in order to ensure that a rich legacy of these resources can be accessed and enjoyed by generations to come.”
In December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly on the invitation of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), had declared 3 March 2014 as the first World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora.
