Wildlife

The forests and rivers of Guyana boast an amazing fauna that includes the likes of Giant Otter, Jaguar, Harpy Eagle and Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock. So it is surprising to say the least that this small country on the north coast of South America is not better known among wildlife-watchers.

If you take a small aircraft into the interior there is pristine rainforest as far as the eye could see. It occurred to me that in England the word ‘wilderness’ is often applied to small islands of habitat that have been altered by humans, or even to a tangle of bushes at the bottom of a garden.

Due to around 90% of the poulation of Guyana living on the narrow coastal strip, Guyana’s forested interior is left sparsely populated, except for Amerinidian villages. The country’s low population density results in little human disturbance to flora and fauna habitats, however the destruction of the rainforest due to the country’s weak economy, has taken its toll on many species including, giant river otters, ocelots and golden frogs.