West Indies Cricket Fans Forum

--
Font size: +

Rupununi River beaches being monitored to aid increase in ‘river turtles’

Yellow-spotted River Turtle
Yellow-spotted River Turtle

By Telesha Ramnarine

EIGHT beaches on the Rupununi River, four of which now have formal protection, are being observed in an effort by the South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) to increase the population of the Yellow-spotted River Turtle, which has seen a rapid decline over the years.

Classified in the scientific community, unofficially, as endangered, the reptile could have been found abundantly in the Rupununi, with villagers even having a traditional “turtle feast” around Christmas time. Over the past five years, though, it seemed that enough turtles could not be caught to facilitate the custom.
Back in 2015, the SRCS spoke to someone who frequents the river who had caught 92 turtles for Christmas that year, and it seems that the numbers were higher for each of the preceding years.

“In the 1990s, they were catching about 250 to 300 turtles each December. One man may go out around that time and in one night might catch 20 turtles,” Programme Coordinator for the River Turtle Monitoring Project Neal Millar said.

Nest of turtle eggs (SCRS Photos)

To increase the population of this species of turtle in the Rupununi, the SRCS has found it wiser to start the project by taking an interest in the turtle eggs, which villagers also love to eat. “It’s a specific delicacy and apparently it tastes very nice, although I have never had it myself,” said Millar.
And so as soon as the turtles lay their eggs, people will go on the sandbanks and harvest them. The turtle tracks on the sand, along with the little mounds that the turtles make after laying their eggs, aid the villagers in finding them.

The project was started in collaboration with the Sand Creek Village Council and has a team of eight rangers working on it, including assistants from the Protected Areas Commission (PAC).

“The area we’re working on is actually part of the Kanuku Mountain area that is protected and monitored by the PAC,” Millar noted, adding, “We went down the river where there are common nesting beaches and we identified eight beaches, four of which will now be under formal protection and the other four will be unprotected.”
The four protected beaches are Wuarad Baara, Pokoridin Baara, Pokoridwao Baara and Boizowoi Pao Baara.

SRCS rangers travelling on the river

A four-member team will go up and down the river every day to monitor the beaches and make records of how many nests they see; if there are any disturbances to the nests, etc. If anyone is seen disturbing the eggs on the four protected beaches, though, the team would try to educate them on the project and “disarm them in a friendly manner.”
This first phase of the project will last until about April when the hatching season will start. The team plans to allow the turtles to make their way to the river undisturbed and will then count the number of shells left behind to be able to tell how many turtles were hatched. The information can then be compared with that provided by the second four-member team observing the four unprotected beaches.

Depending on the success of the initial aspect of the project, the other phase will be implemented, which has to do with a harvesting ban. Signs will be put up to clearly indicate where villagers are not authorized to disturb the turtles and their eggs.

SRCS rangers looking for turtle nests

“No one from the village can go on the river and capture any of the turtles. If this project starts to be successful, our aim is to keep our monitors on the river the entire year to ensure that no one is harvesting the turtles,” Millar said.

A project similar to this one was started in 2012 but due to heavy rainfall over an extended period, it had to be cancelled. So the SRCS is trying again this time with funding from the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme Guyana.

All the rangers are residents of Sand Creek Village apart from Asaph Wilson, who is a former resident of Sand Creek but now lives in Katoonarib Village. On Team One are Asaph Wilson, Keith Spencer, Hazelitha Bernadine, and Pearl Moses and on Team Two, Derrick David, Morano Barjoan, Tabitha Rebiero, and Fabekiel Thomas.

The SRCS makes it a point to achieve gender balance on the teams, even as it has been difficult to recruit female rangers because of stigma and safety reasons. Because the organisation has built up a trustworthy record, though, more and more youths, including females, have been coming forward to work on the projects.

Llewellyn John contributed to struggle for free an...
River Walk Hotel & Amusement Park coming to MovieT...
>

Guyana Diaspora Forum

We have a large database of Guyanese worldwide.  Most of our readers are in the USA, Canada, and the UK.  Our Blog and Newsletter  would not only carry  articles and videos on Guyana, but also other articles on a wide range of subjects that may be of interest to our readers in over 200 countries, many of them non-Guyanese  We hope that you like our selections.

It is estimated that over one million Guyanese, when counting their dependents, live outside of Guyana.  This exceeds the population of Guyana, which is now about 750,000.  Many left early in the 50’s and 60’s while others went with the next wave in the 70’s and 80’s.  The latest wave left over the last 20 years. This outflow of Guyanese, therefore, covers some three generations. This outflow still continues today, where over 80 % of U.G. graduates now leave after graduating.  We hope this changes, and soon.

Guyanese, like most others, try to keep their culture and pass it on to their children and grandchildren.  The problem has been that many Guyanese have not looked back, or if they did it was only fleetingly.  This means that the younger generations and those who left at an early age know very little about Guyana since many have not visited the country.  Also, if they do get information about Guyana, it is usually negative and thus the cycle of non-interest is cultivated.

This Guyana Diaspora Online Forum , along with its monthly newsletter, aims at bringing Guyanese together to support positive news, increase travel and tourism in Guyana and, in general, foster the birth of a new Guyana, which has already begun notwithstanding the negative news that grabs the headlines.  As the editor and manager of the publication, I am committed to delivering Blog entries and Newsletters that are politically balanced, and focused on the positive ideas we wish to share and foster among Guyanese.

AnnabellaAlzarri Joseph ban for two matches(07.11.2024, 18:41)(18:41)0
AnnabellaWhy New Zealand & South Africa don't play more test matches like Australia, England and India?(03.11.2024, 14:06)(14:06)0
SawyerPresident Ali lauds QC as symbol of excellence at 180th anniversary event(22.10.2024, 05:15)(05:15)0
EllieSerious Comment! Guyana lost because GAW forgot to switch off the stadium lights!(07.10.2024, 19:33)(19:33)0
EllieThey have more astronauts in the Hubble Space Telescope than attendees in Nigel Latrine meeting.(06.10.2024, 15:48)(15:48)0
JohannaPollard: We need to produce next batches of Bravos, Pollards, Narines(27.09.2024, 16:47)(16:47)0
JohannaDwayne Bravo parts ways with CSK, joins KKR as mentor for IPL 2025(27.09.2024, 16:38)(16:38)0
EllieDo you recall the famous Village Umpires. The ball only touch the pad Or wicket keeper appeal. Is OUT!(12.09.2024, 14:51)(14:51)0
EllieStatement from CPL: "Sherfane Rutherford is leaving the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots squad due to personal reasons and will take no further part in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The Patriots will name a replacement in due course."

Rutherford has not had the best of seasons, with scores of 1, 0, 34 and 1.

(Photo: CPL/Getty Images)

#sport #news #newsroom #newsroomguyana #guyana
(11.09.2024, 19:05)(19:05)0
AldoJoe Root has never been featured in any Test XI Greatest. Maybe because his publicity profile is low. But it would be difficult not to include him!(03.09.2024, 10:22)(10:22)0
IslaGTT enters three-year endorsement partnership with cricketer, Shamar Joseph(30.08.2024, 17:17)(17:17)0
Islawest indies winn(27.08.2024, 18:21)(18:21)0
IslaWest Indies need 13 runs in 26 balls(27.08.2024, 18:17)(18:17)0
IslaHetmyer, FOUR, only 18 now.(27.08.2024, 18:16)(18:16)0
JerichoWho the hell send shamar Joseph to bat at number 11(16.08.2024, 11:32)(11:32)0
JerichoHappy Athanaze made runs, but in my opinion he could have been out anytime.(12.08.2024, 09:29)(09:29)0
JerichoBally Khaman
The Caribbean fans asking for more test series per a year but WI can't put together a proper test team eh ?
(03.08.2024, 18:48)(18:48)0
MarcoRiley Gaines laid into Brittney Griner for kneeling during the National Anthem. “You don’t have to sing or anything, but you need to show some respect for the country that saved you from a Russian Gulag.” ???(03.08.2024, 12:41)(12:41)0
MarleighLooking for PM...(20.07.2024, 20:51)(20:51)0
AbdullahIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes surprise Gaza visit(20.07.2024, 17:06)(17:06)0
ketchimhopefully day 3 goes as well as day 2 !(19.07.2024, 15:25)(15:25)0
Sylviarally(18.07.2024, 18:00)(18:00)0
Braxtone(18.07.2024, 08:08)(08:08)0
SantinoShamar Joseph & Gudakesh Motie Late Tour Arrival(05.07.2024, 15:23)(15:23)0
Gabriel30 from 30 balls and lost.
I have no respect for South africa!!!
(29.06.2024, 13:18)(13:18)0
AldoI'm confused on how a funeral home can raise the price of a funeral service and blame it on the cost of living.(27.06.2024, 19:35)(19:35)0
BrynleeShaheen Afridi has signed for Toronto Nationals in the Global T20 Canada, weeks after withdrawing from a £100,000 contract with Welsh Fire in the Hundred

Short-form leagues need better regulation: this should be enough for the ECB to ban Shaheen for the 2025 edition, for example
(22.06.2024, 13:48)(13:48)0
GabrielI guess all west indies fans will be rooting for England this morning how ironic(21.06.2024, 09:54)(09:54)0
GabrielFormer India fast bowler David Johnson has passed away at the age of 52 after falling from his balcony, as per reports.(20.06.2024, 06:07)(06:07)0
GabrielCan usa win the cup(19.06.2024, 08:32)(08:32)0
NasirPakistan's nervy run-chase condemns Ireland to a winless World Cup campaign(16.06.2024, 14:18)(14:18)0
GabrielUsa goes to super8(14.06.2024, 13:15)(13:15)0
NasirSaurabh Netravalkar and Harmeet Singh: two Mumbai boys living the American cricket dream(13.06.2024, 17:18)(17:18)0
NasirMotie among contenders for ICC Player of the Month(11.06.2024, 16:52)(16:52)0
ketchimUSA created History with a Super Over Victory !(07.06.2024, 09:20)(09:20)0
Nasirusa vs pakistan(06.06.2024, 10:31)(10:31)0
WarrenIcc may have to ban worldcup matches in barbados too much rain(04.06.2024, 18:51)(18:51)0
SaulChase rescues West Indies for a winning start(02.06.2024, 17:46)(17:46)0
ketchim137 - after 19 : WIN(02.06.2024, 13:45)(13:45)0
ketchimPNG : 136 - 8 after 20(02.06.2024, 11:05)(11:05)0
WarrenCome and experience the vibrant atmosphere at 230 fifth Rooftop Bar! Open all year long, we're the perfect spot to enjoy the spring and summer seasons under the sky.

No reservations required—walk-ins are always welcome! Whether you're looking to unwind with refreshing drinks or indulge in delicious food, our rooftop offers stunning views that promise unforgettable evenings.

Join us at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar for a taste of the good life, where every visit is more than just a meal—it's a celebration!
(01.06.2024, 10:18)(10:18)0
WarrenI heard Australia played with 9 players v WI in the warm up match again
Players still absent
(31.05.2024, 16:23)(16:23)0
AldoWindies move into 4th place on T20i rankings. Let's keep climbing(29.05.2024, 12:34)(12:34)0
Aldo? BREAKING ?

Former Australia opener Joe Burns will now play for Italy, aiming to help them qualify for the T20 World Cup 2026 in honor of his late brother and grandparents. ????

Burns' brother, Dominic, passed away in February this year. With the 34-year-old not receiving a contract from Queensland for 2024-25, he decided to make the switch.

He will wear the number 85 jersey to honor his brother. ❤️

#JoeBurns #Australia #Cricket #Italy #T20WorldCup #Sportskeeda
(28.05.2024, 12:29)(12:29)0
AldoPandya has added His mother in his every bank accounts and property even before marriage.

So basically if divorce happens, Natasa Stankovic will get nothing from hardik Pandya ?

Gujarati boy for a reason ?
(27.05.2024, 11:14)(11:14)0
JourneeW.I. beat Saffies 1st T20.(23.05.2024, 18:41)(18:41)0
JourneeWest Indie Beat South Africa in 1st T20Jamaica Sabina Park(23.05.2024, 18:39)(18:39)0
ketchimSouth Africa arriving this week in Jamaica for 3 T20 b4 World Cup !(20.05.2024, 13:44)(13:44)0
ketchimLost the final Game but win series 3 games to 2 !(05.05.2024, 11:27)(11:27)0
NasirJohnson Charles 101* off 55 balls vs Nepal today

On the day the West Indies WC squad is named, a timely knock to remind us of what he is capable of
(01.05.2024, 12:09)(12:09)0
Karson
Go to top