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January - March 2009 lime,


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ISLAND PROFILE

n my first morning atGuyana's IwokramaInternational Centre,prehistoric gutturalrumblings and feverishscreams jolted me fromsleep. Ihalf expected to see some horrible jungle

creature hanging over me, but it was just thedawn chorus of red howler monkeys. Awake, Istepped onto the cabin's patio as the sun wasrising over the trees on the opposi te bank ofSouth America's third-largest river, the Essequibo.Asthe howlers fell silent, golden rays bathed

Iwokrama with a dawn calm that seemed toresonate. A pair of screeching scarlet macawseventually penetrated the silence and Iwatchedtheir reflections on the river 's calm surfaceuntil a lo-foot black caiman glided by,ripplingthe image in its wake. Across the river the treesremained dark, faceless shadows robbed ofdetails, yet full of secrets.Iknew enough about Guyana's rivers and

rainforests to realise much of the morning'sact ivities were going on out of my view.Onland, mammals are many and range from bigcats such as the jaguar, puma, and ocelot toplayful squirrel, capuchin, and brown-beardedsaki monkeys. There are also tapirs, giantanteaters, giant armadillos, oversized rodentssuch as the capybara and aggressive white-lipped peccaries, the smell-them-before-you-see-them wild boars that travel in herds of upto 200. That is t o say nothing of the smallercreatures like poisonous and constrictingsnakes (bushmasters, labarias and anacondasamong them), scorpions, spiders, wasps, bees,mosquitoes, bot flies, centipedes, termites andarmies of biting ants.Inthe rivers there are stingrays, six-foot

long electric eels, many toothy and prehistoric-

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looking fish species, including the menacingpiranhas and a one-inch parasitic catfish calledthe candiru that has been known for lodgingitself inthe urethras of urinating swimmers(removal involves surgery).So it goes inGuyana, South America'sunlikely Caribbean destination. With a historical

backdrop of British colonialism and a nation ofEnglish-speaking locals, the culture and peopleof Guyana are decidedly more Caribbean thanLatin,but the tourism experience isa far cry fromthe turquoise waters and 5-s tar resorts of theislands to the north. What Guyana offers visitorsis largely unparalleled elsewhere inthe world.

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Guyana'sembarrassmento f e xtra -ordinarywildlifeincludes thefollowingimpressivecreatures.How m anyof them havey ou s ee n?


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HARPYEAGLEWith a 6ftwmgspanand 18lbs ofweight, thelargest eagle inthe Americaseasilypreys onmonkeys andsloths.

The long nose, bushy tail, and galloping gait of the world'slargest anteater make it one of Guyana's most distinct andspectacular creatures.

GIAN ANTEATER


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ISLAND PROFILE

Within Guyana, par t of the Guiana Shield- 2 .5 mil lion square kilometres of the world'slargest remaining tract of mostly undisturbedrainforest - and the Amazon Basinconverge tocreate an enticing mix of ecosystems. Besidesthe ra inforests that carpet roughly 80 per centof the country, there are exotic mangroves, wildcoastal swamps, rugged Atlantic beaches, loftymountain ranges and sprawling savannahs.With 83,000 square miles and only 770,000

inhabitants who live mostly along the coast- a mere five per cent of the land mass - themajority of Guyana is virtually unpopulatedoutside of the Amerindian villages, home toGuyana's indigenous peoples. What remainsis one of the world's most unspoiled naturalwilderness areas that harbours a remarkablediversity of flora and fauna, including more than225 species of mammals, 880 species of reptilesand amphibians, 815species of birds and 6,500species of plants.That morning at Iwokrama, as I stared at

the seemingly impenet rable forest it dawnedon me that the ants, cats, birds, monkeys, trees- all of it - were part of an ecosystem that hasbeen thriving for millions of years. Throughoutthe world, the human race has conquered andclaimed for itself, but much of Guyana hasremained untouched, and this is the reasonto visit .Much of Guyana 's flora and fauna canbe found at eco-Iodges, resorts and villages

throughout the country; those included in mytour that follows are only a small cross-sectionof some of it's more well-known destinationsand the key species that can be seen there.

THE NORTHWESTThe northwestern region of Guyana isfil ledwith beautiful waterways, dense forests, rolling

Guyana fa c tfi leAREA:215,000 sq km (83,000 sq miles)CAPITAL:GeorgetownCLIMATE:Tropical, pleasant and warm for most of theyear, humid, moderated by northeas t trade winds; tworainy seasons (May to June, November to January). Averagetemperatures 24-31degrees CelciusCOUNTRYDIALLINGCODE:592LANGUAGES:English, Creole, Amerindian dialects, CaribbeanHindustani (a dialect of Hindi), UrduMONEY:Guyana dollar (GYD$);GYD$100 = US$0.49POPULATION:770,000BUSINESSHOURS:0800-1700 (Mon-Fri, noon Sat)OFFICIALTIME:Atlantic Standard Time (4 hours behind GMT)DEPARTURETAX:GYD$4,000 (paid for at the airport)

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Parika G E OR GE T OW NGUYANA Ari mu Mine e .Bartica

Kara~abuPoint Rosignol NewAmsterdamPeters Mine L inden Maraockstone e Springlands

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e Orinduik Kurupukar i

}} TAPIRSouth America's largest nativemammal is locally called the'bush cow', but its gray hair,downward-curving, trunk-likesnout, and mohawk of blackhair are muppet-like.

{{ JAGUARLocally called 'tiger', the largest cat in the westernhemisphere can reach sizes of I.2sm in length and weighupwards of 7okg. STEFFAN WIDSTRAND/NATUREPL.COM

GIANT RIVEROTTERThe world'slargest ottersare known for asocial lifestyle,sleek fur, andrazor-sharpteeth that tearthrough piranhaand caiman. .


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hills and wide savannahs ...and little tourismdevelopment. But Shell Beach, a 90-milestretch of unspoiled Atlantic coastline whereendangered sea turt les laytheir eggs, is a reasonfor intrepid travellers to visit .From March through August, Shell Beachis the nest ing ground for four of the world's

eight endangered species of marine turtles:leatherback, green, hawksbill and olive ridley.While male sea turtles typically never leave thesea, females use their paddle-like flippers tocrawl ashore and dig a nest in which they canlay a clutch of around 100 soft-shel led eggs.

Throughout the world,the human race hasconquered and claimedfor itself, but much ofGuyana has remaineduntouched, and this is thereason to visitAt Shell Beach guests are invi ted to watch theturtles nest from a rustic beach camp, which isalso home to a tur tle conservat ion project. Thehosts are a group of reformed turt le poacherswho now monitor the beach as 'Turtle Wardens'to protect thei r one- time prey, including thesix-foot long and 1,000 pound leatherback.CENTRAL RA INFORES TSThis region of Guyana loosely encompassesthe Pakaraima and Iwokrama mountains,and includes two of Guyana's tourismhighlights: Kaieteur National Park and theIwokrama International Centre for Rain ForestConservation and Development.Isolated in the middle of the Pakaraima

GOLIATHBIRD-EATINGSPIDERThe world's largestspider got its name fromVictorian-era explorerswho saw one devouringa hummingbird; their legspan when extended is12 inches and they canweigh 4.2 ounces.

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Mountains, Kaieteur National Park ishome tothe 741ft sheer drop of Kaieteur Falls,Guyana'scrown jewel. While the greatness of Kaieteuriscertain ly in the fal ls - a t its peak, 30,000gallons of water per second flow over a wallsome 400f t wide - visitors shouldn't miss thearea's fascinating microenvironments supportedbythe constant spray of the falls.Birdwatchers come to see the Guianan

cock-of-the-rock leks, where the overly orangebirds participate in bizarre mating rituals thatinvolve calling and dancing for females. Intheevening, visitors can also watch white-chinnedand white-tipped swifts bythe hundreds, asthey return to roost behind the falls.Birdsaside, two of the park's more fascinating

creatures are the prehistorically large tankbromeliads and the miniscule golden dart frogsthat spend their entire lives inside the bromeliads'leaves. The terrestrial tank bromeliads, whichhave been known to reach nine feet inheight,collect water intheir upturned leaves, allowingthe endemic frogs to thrive.Other highlights at Kaieteur include

carnivorous plants and brilliant morphobutterflies, including morpho hecuba, whoseeight-inch wingspan makes it South America'slargest, and the iridescent blue morpho.At its core, Iwokrama isa one million-acre

(371,000 hal research project used as a livinglaboratory for scientific research, ecotourismand sustainable tropical forest management.Located in the heart of Guyana, the IwokramaForest has an amazing cross-section of Guyana'sbiodiversity, including 1,500 species of flora,200 mammals, 500 birds, 420 fish and 150species of reptiles and amphibians.One of Iwokrama's many monikers is 'Land of

the Giants', because it has healthy populationsof some of the Americas ' and the world's larges t

Gold was ( l ) Eiscovered in ~ q W (Guyana in 1879 .The Omai gold minein Guyana is one ofthe largest open pitgold mines in SouthAmerica.The Amerindianscalled the countryGuiana, which meansland ofmanywaters.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Guyana is the onlyEnglish speakingcountry in SouthAmerica.

CAPYBARAThanks to their webbedfeet, the world's largestand strangest-lookingrodents are strongswimmers.


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ISLAND PROFILE

Victoria Amazonica is the national flower ofGuyana, while its national bird is Hoatzin,locally known as the Canje Pheasant.The major religions of Guyana areChristianity, Hinduism and Islam.

species. While sightings are never guaranteed,Iwokrama isone of the best places to spot theelusive jaguar, the largest cat inthe Americas, andthe harpy eagle, whose six-foot wingspan andknack for plucking sloths and monkeys out oftrees has earned itthe nickname of 'flying wolf' .Oxbow lakes also have healthy populations

of arapaima, the world's largest scaledfreshwater fish. These beasts, which can reach3m in length and can weigh upwards of 4401bs,can be easily seen - and heard - as they belchand bubble on the surface as they breathe.Iwokrama also boasts many dank spots

along rivers that seem too archetypal to bereal. Bright orange and black poison dart frogspepper rocks, emerald hummingbirds elegantlyhover, metallic blue-and-green beetles shimmer,kinkajous sleep and squirrel monkeys passthrough the sounds of screaming pihas, thebirds that provide the most recognisable junglesoundtrack. Unnaturally green swamps harbouranacondas, the world's largest constrictingsnake that easi ly exceeds lengths of 20f t andfeeds on peccary, deer, capybara and agouti.The elongated, trunk-like snout and mohawkof black hair on South America's largest nativemammal, the tapir (or bush cow, locally), arealso seen along the banks.

THE RUPUNUNI SAVANNAHSIna direct contrast to the dense rainforests,the Rupununi Savannahs cover roughly 5,000

GRE EN ANACONDAWorld's largest constrictingsnake uses its girth and length6 0 + feet) to eat practicallyanything that moves in its path.FRANCOIS SAVIGNY/NATUREPL.COM

square miles of southern Guyana. They are oneof the world 's largest open ranges of savannahlands , but they also encompass extremely bio-diverse wetlands, rainforest-covered mountains,hundreds of miles of freshwater river systemsand several Amerindian villages and historicalcattle ranches that also offer lodging.The Amerindian village of Surama has an

excellent community tourism experiencethat includes the chance to paddle a dugoutcanoe on the Burro Burro River.The silenceof the canoes provides a great opportunity tofind birds and wildlife, including jaguar, giantriver otter, howler monkey, spider monkey,peccary, tayra, macaws, herons, and kingfishers.Depending on the season, it's also possible toask your guide to bring along a handline to fishfor a few of the toothy red-bellied piranha orelect ric eels , which reach 6f t and pack 500volts, found inthe river.Karanambu Ranch, located along the

Rupununi River, is well known for ownerDiane McTurk's giant river otter rehabilitationprogramme. Giant river otters are often called'water dogs ' in Guyana, and their social anddiurnal lifes tyles have made them easy prey forhunters after their fur.When Diane is rehabilitating orphaned

or injured otters for their return to the wild,guests have a chance to get up close andpersonal. Depending on your comfort levelaround wild animals wi th razor sharp teeth,

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B LACK CA IMANWorld's largest freshwater alligator speciescan exceed 15ft;40 per cent ofwhich is its tail. . :.. .

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ISLAND PROFILE

visitors can swim with the otters and hand feedthem piranha.Karanambu also offers a good chance to

spot two of Guyana's stranger creatures: giantanteaters and capybara. With a long nose ,bushy ta il, length of three feet and a shufflinggai t exaggera ted by the fact they walk on theirknuckles, giant anteaters are unmistakable whenseen. Regularly spotted along the river, theworld's largest rodent, capybara, has a stockybody with a large square head, webbed feet andarched, rounded rump.Karanambu isa lso home to a healthy

population of Guyana's national flower, theVictoria amazonica . The largest of the giantwater lilies, the flowers ' sta lks can reachlengths of 7-8m with leaves that can grow upto 3m in diameter and support the weight of ababy. At dusk the lily's flower slowly opens toa bril liant white bloom before increas ing theirtemperature and em itting a strong odor toattract a beetle that pollinates them. Twodays later the flower blooms again, vibrantpink in colour.Not far from Karanambu on the Rupununi

River are Yupukari Village and Caiman House. Ahighlight of a visi t here is the 'Creatures of theNight Tour', which begins just after darknessset tles on the river and many creatures emerge,

Christopher Columbus first sighted Guyana in14g8, but itwas the Dutch who first establishedcolonies, in 1616 .The Essequibo River is the world's third widestriver after the Amazon (Brazil) and the Orinoco

(Venezuela).Itis 21miles wide at the mouth. Other major rivers arethe Demerara and Berbice.Guyana has four distinctive geographical zones: the coastal belt, theforested area, the savannah zone and the sandy zone. More than 80per cent of the land mass is still covered in pristine forest, and only2 .5 per cent is cultivated.

such as black caiman, spectacled caiman, treeboas, iguanas, frogs, bats, nightjars, possums,tree dwelling rodents and capybara. Sleepingmonkeys and birds are also often seen.Visitors can also participate inongoing black

caiman research overseen by the community.Guests can observe caiman - the world 's largestalligator, which reaches lengths exceeding15ft - being captured, and then assis t in datacollection - weighing, measuring, sexing,tagging - once the caiman is pulled to shoreand secured. It may be your only chance tohandle one.At Dadanawa Ranch, a multi-textured

cattle ranch that was once the largest in theworld, expert guides lead guests in search ofanacondas, big cats, giant river turtle, goliath

bird-eating tarantulas, and the endangered redsiskin bird. Ifthe wildlife isn't exciting enough,head out with the vaqueros to round up moretame beasts - cat tle.This isonly a taste of what a visit to Guyana

can enta il. Guyana has a tourism offering thatis, unfortunately, increasingly rare in today'sworld, and it is t he reason tolook beyond the beaches of thetypical Caribbean vacation .

FURTHER READING :To learn more about thisfascinating country, it's worthchecking out KirkSmock'sBradt Guide toGuyana

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