Author: Justin

NEWSLETTER
November 2020 - January 2021
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7

August to October2019

SRCS Executive Leroy Ignacio, PRESIDENT
Angelbert Johnny, VICE PRESEDENT
Erin Earl, TREASURER
Kim Spencer, SECRETARY
Eian Gray ASSISTANT SECRETARY-TREASURER
Project team
Neal Millar, Programme
Coordinator
Alyssa Melville, Environmental Education Facilitator
Erin Earl, Giant Anteater Project Coordinator
Leroy Ignacio, Field Operations Coordinator
Eian Gray, Field and Logistics
Assistant
Nate Wilson, Assistant Giant Anteater Coordinator
Special thanks to
Ministry of Education
South Rupununi District Council
Sand Creek Village
Shulinab Village
Sawariwau Village
Katoonarib Village
Rupunau village
Aishalton Village
Maruranau Village
Kumu Village
Shea Village

Overview of SRCS Activities
Main Projects
With support from the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme Guyana, and the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme our 5 main projects have been continuing, Find out more on the back page of the newsletter!
River turtle monitoring has started!
In January, 2 SRCS team members, 8 SRCS Rangers and 3 rangers from the Protected Areas Commission completed a 4-day river turtle training along the Rupununi River. During the training, the team identified 4 beaches (Wuarad Baara, Pokoridin Baara, Pokoridwao Baara and Boizowoi Pao Baara) to be protected. The rangers will now monitor the beaches in 2-week shifts to prevent persons from disturbing the turtle nests until the eggs hatch.

Rangers complete First Aid Course
14 SRCS members completed a 2-day first aid training course in Lethem that was facilitated by the Guyana Tourism Authority. The course taught skills including CPR, how to prevent choking and other basic first aid skills. Congratulations to Flavian Thomas, Samuel Cyril, Frank Johnny, Maxi Ignace, Osmond Kaitano, Vidia Kaitano, Vanessa James, Leon Baird, Justin de Freitas, Erin Earl, Verna Cyril, Pearl Moses, Claudia Bernard and Leroy Ignacio.

Top (1) L to R: Kate, Pearl, Morano, Hazelitha, Fabekiel, Asaph, Tabitha and Keith after a turtle monitoring trip.
From left (2) Derrick David and Morano Barjoan exploring a beach for turtle nests 3) Maxi Ignace and Osmond Kaitano learning CPR at the first aid training course. Photo Credits: Oswin David (Top), Leroy Ignacio (Right)

Supported by

Project Updates

Monitoring the Impact of Fire on Wildlife
In recent decades, sightings of wild land fires have become more common in both the North and South Rupununi. To understand the impact that these fires are having on wildlife, SRCS will be setting and monitoring transects in key areas in Shulinab Village. The training for this project took place in Shulinab with our new fire rangers; Maxi Ignace, Susan Balvadore, Nicholas Mandookin and Allan Mandookin. The transects will be monitored twice a month. Maxi will collect information on birds, Susan will do the same for mammals, amphibians and reptiles whilst Allan and Nicholas will collect information on plants. Once the project has finished, SRCS will analyse the results to help communities understand how to better manage fire in order to lessen the negative impact on wildlife.

Rangers setting a transect to monitor the impacts of fire on wildlife in Shulinab Village Photo Credit: Leroy Ignacio

Red Siskin Monitoring
Our Red Siskin monitoring and mapping project has started. In December, rangers from 5 communities (Shulinab, Sand Creek, Rupunau, Katoonarib and Sawariwau) were trained in bird identification, binocular and GPS use, and public speaking. From January to March, the rangers will visit spots where they have never previously checked for Red Siskins. Each community will visit 6 spots over 3 months. At the end of March, SRCS will create a map of confirmed Red Siskin habitat sites. This map will then be used to help communities design the boundary of the Community Based Conservation Management Zone.

From L to R: John Paulin, Sebastian Johnny and Bryan Johnny completing a Red Siskin monitoring and mapping trip in Sawariwau Photo Credit: Frank Johnny

Giant Anteater Research and Monitoring
Our rangers in Shulinab, Sawariwau and Wariwau have now each set 14 camera traps in their respective communities. Every few weeks, the rangers have been checking the camera traps to see what they have captured. Also, the rangers in Katoonarib have been continuing to track Giant Anteaters to better understand their movements.
We were also excited for the team from “A Wild Connection” to come and film our rangers for a documentary episode on Giant Anteaters. We cannot wait to watch it!

A close up photo of a Giant Anteater near Katoonarib Village.

Interesting Wildlife Facts!

Harpy Eagle/Kokoi/Kawanu (Harpia harpyja) - The Harpy Eagle has excellent eyesight and can see very small things from over 200m away.
Leafcutter Ant/Koki/Kokoinan (Atta sp) - The ants do not eat the leaves that they cut.

Note: The Endangered Red Siskin (Spinus cucullata) is Endangered and is officially protected in Guyana.
The Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga Tridactyla), one of the giants of the Rupununi, is Vulnerable and is officially protected in Guyana.
The South Rupununi Conservation Society is based at Wichabai Ranch, South Rupununi, Region 9, Guyana. Contact via email (srcs.rupununi@gmail.com) or by phone - Leroy Ignacio (+592) 663 8888.