Giants of Guyana’s Forests

 By Stabroek News On December 25, 2011– Features

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The Iwokrama Forest and Rupununi Wetlands are home to healthy populations of Guyana’s Giants. While this is impressive, these giants are rare and in many cases, endangered, despite being large. Ironically, these giants are very hard to see throughout most of their range as they are at the top of the food chains and need a lot of space to roam and hunt.  Keystone species are important for maintaining balance in ecosystems and ecosystem functions; if keystone species are removed, it can lead to cascading changes in other species populations, disrupt the population balances of other animals that they would have preyed on as well as natural ecological functions such as seed dispersal and plant structure in a forest.

Giant River Turtle nesting (Photo by R Haynes)

Rain forests are rich in biodiversity and are home to many different plants and animals as well as indigenous communities. Humans, even those who don’t live in the rain forest, rely on it for resources such as building materials (wood and lianas), medicine and fruits. Rain forests also provide essential environmental services for life on earth; they create soil as well as prevent soil erosion, produce oxygen though photosynthesis, maintain clean water systems, and are a key defence against climate change.

Giant anteater (Photo by G Watkins)

The Iwokrama Rain Forest is 371,000 hectares, located in the heart of Guyana.  Our mission is to develop strategies for conservation and sustainable development for local people in Guyana and the world at large. We are involved in timber, tourism and training.  Come and visit us in the rain forest or at http://www.iwokrama.org.

Giant Anaconda (Photo by G Watkins) below right

 Giant Armadillo (Photo courtesy of Iwokrama)                                                                                                                                                    Bird Eating Spider (Photo by S James) above

Jabiru Stork (Photo by G Watkins) – right                                                              

Jaguar (Photo by G Watkins)

                                              Giant River Otter (Photo by G Watkins) below right

Giant Caiman (Photo by G Watkins)

 

 

— Post # 1026