Human consumption, floods increase extinction threat to turtles in Rupununi

The existence of turtle species in the Rupununi area, Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) is facing detrimental threats of over human consumption and heavy rainfall spells, prompting actions from locals to reverse this trend before extinction.

Programme Coordinator for the South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS), Neal Millar during an interview with the Guyana Times expressed that the region experienced floodings in 2023 due to heavy rainfalls.
The flood normally finds its way filling the nests of turtles and once this remains stagnant for more than 24 hours, they will drown. These floodings, which were noticed and recorded before, started early in April of 2021 and March of 2022.
According to Millar, another concern was the human consumption of turtles within the South Rupununi area. He described that inhabitants would often capture the turtles for their personal consumption which has led to a shortage of the species that can lead to possible extinction.
The SRCS, is an Indigenous-led, grassroot conservation non-governmental organization (NGO) based in the South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), Guyana. It was formed in 2002 by a group of friends from several communities in the South of Rupununi including Shulinab, Katoonarib and Dadanawa.
The group was formed to respond to a perceived increase in environmental degradation, a decrease in wildlife populations and a loss of culture that they had witnessed in Rupununi over their own lifetimes and heard about through older generations.
Through careful monitoring of the turtles by the team of SRCS rangers, it was calculated that in the rainy and dry season right up to the point of hatching, there was need for urgent action.
“With a river that rises very quickly, If the rangers had done nothing and just left the eggs the nests would’ve been flooded because once the nests are submerged in water for 24 hours the nests will drown and no hatchlings will occur,” he explained.
Explaining the process, Neal shared that once the rangers saw the swift movement in the rising of the rivers, they quickly acted upon it by collecting the eggs from the nest before they were totally submerged in water.
A well-thought-out plan was then created to move them into artificial nests, comprising of basins filled with sand. As time passed, they moved these artificial nests back to the village to take care of the said turtles, then gradually placed them into bigger areas filled with sand and smoothly placed them back into their primary habitat.
The eggs were left to hatch while under surveillance by the rangers. This routine monitoring continued for some time after hatching, and by October, they are were then released into the wild.
Through these heroic actions between the period of 2021 to 2023, 1700 turtles were saved – a great accomplishment by the SRCS.
When asked about future projects and how the public can aid support to the goals of the organization, the SRCS Programme Coordinator stated numerous ideas are in momentum for many different species such as the red siskin birds.
Anyone willing to support the organsiation can contact the SRSC on its Facebook page ‘South Rupununi Conservation Society’ or Email: [email protected]