Schlumberger pumps G$4.2M into enhancing Guyana’s zoological facilities

What began as a simple WhatsApp conversation among key stakeholders about improving living conditions for animals at the Georgetown Zoological Park has now evolved into the rehabilitation of one of the shelters by Schlumberger to the tune of $4.2 million.
The facility was commissioned on Friday during which the Managing Director of SLB Schlumberger, Sharlene S. Seegoolam, relayed that the facility will house a wide array of animals.
“This space will house some of the zoological park’s most treasured and vulnerable species: the red-footed and yellow-footed tortoises and the majestic jabiru stork, the zoo’s oldest resident.”
“SLB was the first to come on board and pave the way for others to follow but beyond the aesthetics, beyond the newly refurbished enclosure, this initiative is about something much larger: safeguarding biodiversity and the rehabilitation efforts at this zoo are part of a broader transformation, one that seeks to turn this facility into research and conservation centre.”

Amidst highlighting SLB’s contribution, she found the need to highlight other key partners who made this commissioning possible.
“I must acknowledge our partners, the Project Areas Commission and our own incredible team of volunteers, some of whom are joining us today- who have played critical roles in turning this vision into reality. We could not have done it alone in fact, that our early commitment to this initiative encouraged other companies to join in, helping fast-track the funding for what had been a long-awaited national project,” she told the gathering.
This project was also a key factor in promoting biodiversity and ensuring a vibrant presence in sustainable initiatives aimed at positively impacting the environment.
“It is our goal as a company to create a sustainable environmental footprint in the communities where we operate as it speaks to a larger puzzle, but it is an important piece, it speaks to some of our core values at SLB: environmental stewardship, community engagement, and taking care of our people.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner of the Protected Area Commission Jason Fraser stated, “We have heard from the general public and let’s be frank, [there is] the dissatisfaction at times at the state of our zoo, [however] behind me is the first enclosure that we would have rehabilitated in our private public partnership. I would like other organisations to also step up to the plate to help us create safer, secure, educational, urban, green spaces including the zoological park.”
Before the commissioning of the facility, Guyanese who have travelled abroad have been testifying about the differences in standards between Guyana’s local parks and zoos in other countries.
In the past, the zoo and park facilities in Georgetown attracted limited enthusiasm from visitors due to a variety of concerns.
Safety was a key issue, with reports of vagrants and loiterers in the area deterring many from visiting. Additionally, the environment was often described as untidy, with unpleasant odours noticeable from a distance.
The zoo itself offered little novelty, with a limited number of animals on display, including a few exotic birds, large snakes, caimans, turtles, monkeys, and big cats like the jaguar.
Visitors also raised concerns about the animals’ enclosures, citing the confined spaces as inadequate compared to their natural habitats, which allow for more freedom to roam, climb, and jump. In previous years, some visitors also expressed disappointment with the state of the facility, with a number regretting their decision to pay for entry.