A book detailing the wildlife as well as the people of the Rupununi in Region Nine has been released by the Sustain-able Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme.
In a release on Tuesday, SWM announced that the book, “Wildlife and People in the Rupununi – A Comprehensive Assessment based on Science and Local Knowledge”, has been officially published online, in celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity.
The SWM Programme is an international initiative that aims to improve the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife in forest, savannah and wetland ecosystems. Projects are being piloted and tested with governments and communities in 16 participating countries.
The Rupununi region, often referred to as the ‘Land of Giants’ because of its healthy populations of large-bodied neo-tropical species (such as the jaguar, giant anteater, giant armadillo, giant otter, and giant river turtle, among others), consists mostly of large tracts of primary forest and is likely the most bio-diverse region of the country, the release noted.
The book, it explained, is a collection of articles on the technical and scientific work completed by the SWM Programme in southwest Guyana’s Region Nine between 2018 and 2023. It contains 15 chapters grouped into four broad areas, namely: the status of wildlife populations, local uses of wildlife, co-existence between humans and wildlife, and wildlife management and conservation initiatives in the Rupununi. Spanning almost 300 pages and featuring over 100 professional photographs, the publication is a testament to the efforts of the SWM Programme’s local partners.
According to the release, given the importance of wildlife for the Rupununi region, Guyana, and the world, and the risks of habitat and wildlife degradation that could occur due to recent large-scale development, community leaders in close coordination with governmental institutions and local NGOs, have taken the lead in piloting wildlife management and conservation activities across the Rupununi.
“Wildlife and People in the Rupununi”, has been funded by the European Union and presents the results of work led by community members, with support from local civil society organisations, such as Visit Rupununi, Caiman House, South Rupununi District Council, Rupununi Livestock Producers Association, North Rupununi District Development Board and the South Rupununi Conservation Society, and with active support from the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) and the National Fisheries Department, the release informed.
SWM noted that one of the book’s central messages is “the importance of empowering communities that rely on wildlife for their livelihoods to become stewards in the conservation, management, and sustainable use of that wildlife.” An exemplary case study the book covers is the management of river turtles in the Yupukari community, which is an outstanding model for community-led management initiatives and is aimed at preserving the species whilst allowing for sustainable use to continue.
The chapter on the assessment of conflict between people, livestock, and carnivores also adds greatly to a body of information on human-wildlife co-existence in Guyana and aims to support GWCMC’s work in mitigating conflict.
It is expected that this comprehensive document will serve as a reference for wildlife population assessments, understanding ways in which people and wildlife can co-exist, and as an overview of initiatives led by communities in collaboration with the government to ensure wildlife conservation and sustainable use.
A first copy of the book was presented to Prime Minister Mark Phillips by EU ambassador to Guyana, René van Nes, during the celebration of Europe Day in Georgetown on May 9. “We have extended this programme because it is very successful,” said van Nes while presenting the book. “It’s one of my favourites. I’m pleased to present one of the very first copies of this beautiful book to the Prime Minister.”
A total of 100 books have been printed and are currently being distributed to key stakeholders involved in the SWM Programme, including authors and local partners.
The initiative was funded by the European Union and coordinated by a consortium of four partners, namely the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the release added.
