Biodiversity of the Rewa Head B Zoological Society of London ...

From our brief visit to the Rewa Head it is clear that the region is biologically rich, containing
both Guianan Shield endemics and threatened species, with a naivety in wild animals not
seen in hunted areas. A direct comparison of our results with those from the CI RAP to
the Eastern Kanukus in 2001 highlights the fact that there are important species which we
recorded in the Rewa Head which have not yet been recorded in the Eastern Kanukus.
Conservation Recommendations
In Conservation International’s 2001 Eastern Kanukus RAP (Montambaut and Missa
2002), they proposed creating a “corridor of conservation” extending from the Western
Kanukus across Southern Guyana to the Suriname border. Since then the Kanuku
Mountains Protected Area has been proposed and is now in the planning stages and
CI has leased up 80,000ha of logging concession in the Upper Essequibo.
The Rewa Head and the Lower Rewa are both important in terms of their biodiversity.
The isolated nature and natural protection afforded the Rewa Head by the string of falls
and cataracts makes the place appealing when considering preserving the area in law.
The area is worth recognising for the outstanding wildlife viewing for dedicated birdwatchers
and adventurous eco-tourists. Since Ashley Holland and Duane de Freitas
have been taking paying customers up the Rewa, the villagers of Rewa and Yupukari
have been benefitting from a supplementary income, from paid guides to managing
tourist lodges. The reason the guests go out to the interior, and to the Rewa in particular,
is specifically to view wildlife which elsewhere has been pushed out or made shy
through development and hunting. It is the extraordinary naivety of species such as
tapir and jaguar and the ease with which they are seen that is the Rewa Head’s chief
selling point.
A crucial recommendation of this report is that further scientific studies be carried
out in the area. The authors have contacted the conservation organisation Operation
Wallace about the potential of establishing a yearly expedition to the Rupununi.
Operation Wallacea organise a series of biological and social science expeditions
that operate in remote locations across the world. These expeditions are designed
with specific wildlife conservation aims in mind - from identifying areas needing
protection, through to implementing and assessing conservation management
programmes. Operation Wallacea work very closely with the indigenous peoples
inhabiting all of their study sites and are particularly concerned that it is the local
inhabitants who benefit from their presence there. The data extracted during these
expeditions are published in peer reviewed journals as well as in popular science
magazines. The publication of data from the biodiversity rich Rupununi region will
in turn encourage further scientific teams, film crews and eco-tourists to visit the
area, which will bring yet more funds into the local communities. We consider the
establishment of regular expeditions to designated research stations around Region
9 as highly important in the future sustainability of the area and the broadening of
incomes within local villages.
As well as the benefits to the local communities to be afforded through well managed
tourism and scientific studies, the Lower Rewa is also extremely important from a
livelihoods perspective. Fish, turtle eggs and game are all taken from this stretch.
Therefore there is a vested interest to maintain that source of protein. The fact that
no-one apart from Ashley Holland and Duane de Freitas go above Corona Falls may
mean that the area acts as a huge source population for many game species which
then disperse to the Lower Rewa where they are hunted.
These two facets of the area: well-managed eco-tourism bringing financial income to
the local villages and the maintenance of a hunting base can be employed to benefit
the Amerindian People as well as the wildlife and natural resources themselves.
32 Biodiversity of the Rewa Head