The Protected Areas Commission (PAC) is working assiduously to improve conditions at the Guyana zoo for both the animals held there and the patrons who visit.
According to a press release from the PAC, enhancement projects are ongoing across all urban parks with the support of local and international stakeholders, while more long-term plans are being examined.
The Guyana Zoo and Wildlife Rescue Centre, the National Park, the Botanical Gardens, and the Joe Vieira Park are benefiting from major and micro enhancement projects throughout this year and for the foreseeable future, the release said. To this end, it added that a tender was out in the print media for the rehabilitation of the animal clinic and the jaguar enclosure; part of enhancing the aesthetics of the zoo in a phased approach.
The PAC explained that the project started due to the conditions at the zoo in particular, that were constantly brought to the attention of management. The zoo is managed by the PAC which is a semi-autonomous government agency.
Meanwhile, the release further stated that several enhancement projects have been approved for urban parks in the 2023 budget, which include drainage, security, lighting and animal enclosures. Ongoing work has already resulted in improvements in the walkways and enclosures in some parts of the zoo.
The PAC said it also intends to hold discussions with interested stakeholders from the public and private sectors, who they hope will lend support to enhancing the zoo. More information will be made available as time progresses.
The organisation used the opportunity to stress that the Guyana Zoo and Wildlife Rescue Centre currently does not function according to the definition of a traditional zoo, which means that animals are not sought and acquired for captive breeding or ex-situ conservation. Rather, the animals in the zoo have been rescued from various abandoned, illegal or abusive conditions, and taken there for rehabilitation and release. In addition, those animals that can no longer survive in the wild are rehabilitated and provided a safe space to live out the remainder of their lives.
The statement said that over the coming weeks the public will learn more about the zoo’s function as a rescue centre. It noted that it has served as a wildlife education centre in the past, with animal ambassadors encouraging conservation and teaching youth along the coast.
