Public perception a challenge in wildlife protection – GWCMC

Guyana is home to a plethora of rare wildlife species which require attention and intervention to sustain their presence and habitats. But in the management and protection efforts, the perception of the public towards these creatures is a challenge.

The Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) on Thursday facilitated a panel discussion titled “Recovering Key Species for Ecosystem Restoration, in celebration of World Wildlife Day 2022.”
GWCMC Research Officer Johann Waldron pointed out that most Guyanese do not immediately grasp the idea of protecting wildlife during such encounters, but are rather inclined to kill, capture, or eat the animal.
“Perception is one of the more daunting challenges that we face, and how we deal with that perception and impact… There are some cases where you can see that there is a little bit of impact, or the curiosity to deviate from the norm is there. In one instance, nets were set on purpose to capture a Hawksbill because it was seen in the vicinity of the Kingston foreshore, and the plan was to cook it. Through partnership, we were able to have the turtle taken out to the mouth of the Demerara River into the Atlantic,” Waldron detailed.
When it comes to monitoring, navigating through the country’s terrain is also challenging, coupled with an inadequate human resource complement.
“Imagine having about 10 people to manage the entirety of Guyana and cover the wildlife activities, or to enforce the entire mandate of the commission. That is an uphill task, one of which we do take on. The work has to be done, and so we intend to find intuitive and ingenious ways of doing it…
“Accessibility, in many cases, can also pose a challenge. Some terrestrial and riverine terrain are almost impassable, depending on the season which you encounter it, not to mention that Guyana is not all flatland. In many cases, some of the animals you look for aren’t found on flatland either,” he detailed.
GWCMC is the national implementing and management body for the sustainability of wildlife in Guyana. It has made some strides within the past years, one of which was the introduction of seasons to protect species, since some were heavily targeted.
“We would have implemented, in recent years, open and closed seasons for species that we have found to be targeted. Whereas, prior to that, there were no set seasons, so at any point in time, a mother with the young could have been targeted for whatever reasons those seeking them for. As a result of the implementation, that is no longer the case,” he outlined.
Human-wildlife conflict has also been addressed, and will continue to be addressed through awareness. This is geared at changing the perspective of humans on the presence and importance of the country’s wildlife.
“We have also been looking at introducing a domestic licensing system, to have a better idea of our stakeholders and how it is that they interact with wildlife. We have had more public engagement than before, addressing perspective towards wildlife and bringing more awareness to both stakeholders and the general public as it relates to the benefits of wild flora and fauna that we have, as well as how they can do their part to conserve and protect,” Research Officer Johann Waldron noted.
Apart from the GWCMC, the Protected Areas Commission is responsible for direct management of three of five protected areas: Kaieteur National Park, Kanuku Mountains, and Shell Beach.
Attention has also extended to mangroves, in order to determine how healthy the ecosystem is. Protected Areas Officer Felicia Collins at the Protected Areas Commission said that, on their end, the challenge lies in the management of sea turtles, due to erosion of the beaches – a problem that has been exacerbated by climate change.
“Within that 120km, there are different beaches or different sites that the turtles would go to nest every season, and these beaches change constantly because of the natural erosion process of the beach.
“We have also seen it intensify with climate change, and that recently has posed a threat to us and our sea turtle management programme,” Collins told the panel.
Meanwhile, the South Rupununi Conservation Society, which was formed in response to degradation of the environment and a decline in the species in native locations, has been collaborating with other stakeholders to improve the presence of such wildlife.
Programme Coordinator Neal Millar informed that, for 20 years, vast information has been collected on the Red Siskin, coupled with action to eliminate trapping and destruction of their habitats. Now it is no longer critically endangered, as they work to improve protection threads.
In Katoonarib, after villagers raised concerns about the decline in the number of Giant Anteaters, a conservation zone was created for the community.
“Our priority is to now work with Sand Creek village. We have trained rangers from that community, and they are now monitoring beaches along the Rupununi to protect the Yellow Spot River Turtle, not only from humans but also from flooding, which destroys their nests, which is happening more now due to climate change,” Millar explained.
Two critically endangered species – the Hoary-throated Spinetail and the Rio Branco Antbird – are endemic to one specific area. Due to fires and small-scale agriculture, these species continue to decline, and the organisation is working on habitat restoration. (G12)