A team earlier this month saved 25 Arapaima from a Rupununi pond in an area which has seen falling water levels from a punishing drought.
A release yesterday from the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB) said that the endangered fish were relocated to the Rewa River.
Arapaima are the largest scaled fresh water fish in the world and Guyana’s rivers are one of the last sanctuaries for them. Arapaima can grow over eight feet long and weigh over 400 lbs. Unlike other fish, they come to the surface to breathe otherwise they drown.
In the Rupununi, the NRDDB release said that water levels are so low that the rescue team had to push and drag boats over a day and a half to reach the stranded arapaima. Members of the rescue team came from Rupertee and Rewa, an Iwokrama ranger, an NRDDB executive and five students from the Bina Hill Research Station. Fuel, rations, boats and engines were contributed by partners including the NRDDB, Iwokrama, Dr. Lesley De Souza, Samantha James, Rewa Eco Lodge and families of team members involved, the release said.
The team successfully removed 25 adult fish, with a few weighing in over 350 lbs, from the dry pond to the river. Ranger Peters said that a seine was used to catch the fish which were then placed in a canoe and dragged though the dry pond and the forest to the Rewa River. He said that all were tagged so they could be identified and tracked later on.
This is part of research being conducted by De Souza who is working along with Rewa Eco Lodge to study arapaima and their behaviour.
The members of the team are volunteering their time. The release named them as Rudolph Edwards, Rovin Alvin, Shun Alvin, Adrian Mack, Lakeram Haynes, Courtney Peters, Zachary Paul, Franklin Paul, Winston Edwards, Wycliff Alvin, Jonah Paul, Dilly Alvin, Lloyd Edwards, Gamon Edwards, Wesley Edwards, Morris Edwards, Hilbert King, Lorindo Honorio, Nelson Mack, Danny Thomas, Alex Honorio, Demas Honorio, Stephanu Honorio and Patrick Honorio. Five students from the Bina Hill Institute are also part of the rescue operation and Laura Honorio, Edna Mack and Pearl Alvin are volunteering their time and cooking for the team.
NRDDB executive, Lakeram Haynes, reported that the team will be moving down river and hopes to move at least another dozen fish from two or three more ponds in the Rewa River.
In November last year, 27 arapaima were moved from a drying pond in the Essequibo River. This was done by Iwokrama Rangers and Fair View Villagers with the expertise of Stephanu Honorio, a Rewa Villager who has worked with De Souza on arapaima in Rewa.
The release said that drought conditions continue to impact communities in Region 9, wells are drying and forest and savannah fires are burning out of control.
