Voyage Beagle, 1839) "...nothing can be more improving to a young naturalist, than a journey in distant countries". Charles Darwin ( of the Expedition 2015 Shrewsbury School Biology Department

Guyana 2015

Guyana The eighth least populated country in the world has a population of just 735,554, 90% of whom live on the coast. Consequently, Guyana remains one of the world's great wildernesses. 85% of Guyana is still covered by natural forest which is contiguous with the forests of , French Guyana, and parts of , and . This vast area, the Guiana Shield, is the world's largest tract of undisturbed tropical forest, boasting some of the highest biodiversity in the world and holding 10-15% of the world's fresh water. Many species are endemic (live nowhere else) are also very high because the area is bound by rivers. Guyana has 278 species of terrestrial mammal, 148 of which are bats (11% of these are endemic), 1004 species of , 269 species of amphibian (54% of which are endemic), over 2,200 species of fish and 15 - 20,000 species of vascular plants.

Guyana is rich in natural resources, in particular, gold, diamonds and timber, the extraction of which represents a threat to the region's biodiversity. Over-hunting and weak law enforcement are also significant issues but the Government is committed to preserving natural habitats and managing natural resources sustainably. At the moment there are three protected areas in Guyana, and monitoring ecosystems in these areas forms a vital part of their management. The purpose of our expedition was to learn about, and contribute to, the monitoring of biodiversity in the 371,000 hectare Iwokrama Forest which was established in 1996 and is managed to "lead to lasting ecological, economic and social benefits to the people of Guyana and the world in general". The area is considered to be of global importance to biodiversity conservation and is home to many of the world's most charismatic species such as the black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) - all of which we saw - as well as jaguar (Panthera onca), harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla). Our aim was to contribute to an annual monitoring program ongoing at five sites within Iwokrama as well as two control sites outside the protected area. The data collected is used to understand changes in abundance and diversity of wildlife, as well as the effects of "reduced impact logging" which helps to ensure that local communities gain financial benefit from managing their forests sustainably while protecting biodiversity.

After an exciting journey in three light aircraft to visit Kaieteur Falls (one of the greatest and most unspoilt waterfalls in the world) we spent three days at Iwokrama River Lodge and Research Centre carrying out rigorous training and lectures which gave us the skills to gather data accurately, sleep safely in the forest, and fully appreciate the importance of the work we were doing. We then moved to Surama, an Amerindian village belonging to the Makushi Tribe, where we started work surveying mammals, bats and herpetofauna. We then moved out to Carahaa Landing for three days working on forest structure, dung beetles and before three days carrying out a survey of aquatic fauna on the Burro Burro River for a further three days.

We hope the pictures following convey some of the beauty of Guyana, its wildlife and people. We hope they also convey our excitement at being in such a remote, fascinating and challenging environment. Our experiences were extraordinary and unforgettable and we learned as much about ourselves as we did about biology. All of us left inspired and with a new appreciation of the world around us. Our sincere thanks go to Scott Sveiven, Johnny, Raquel, Lola, Matt, Stef, Alfredo, Dan, Meshach, Lorna and all the Operation Wallacea staff for teaching us so much and looking after us so well. Our thanks also go to the wonderful people of Surama for whose sharp eyes, knowledge and hospitality we are hugely grateful.

1 Expedition Team Joe Davies Tom Edwards Jack Gaunt Charles Gillow Emma Harris Tom Hart Jonathan Jones Loren Kell Ben King Harry Lane-Fox Jesse Mattinson Finn McCormack Jess Moeran Hugo Morgan Hamish Partington Freddie Perkins Fred Pook Ben Sansom Lucy Scott Will Street Tom Sykes Ivan Tivodar

Staff Jo Billington Photography RAJC Jack Gaunt JAM Hamish Partington WMS Fred Pook Tom Sykes Cover: Jonathan Jones The expedition team at Kaieteur Falls JAM RAJC Back Cover: WMS Red and Green Macaw (Ara chloropterus) at Surama Mountain 2 Jo Billington Contents

Chapter 1: Wildlife 4

Chapter 2: Science 28

Chapter 3: People and 45 Experience

Chapter 4: Landscape 62

Species list: 72 3 Chapter 1: Wildlife

Guianan red howler monkey (Alouatta macconnelli). These frugivorous monkeys are widespread within the Guiana Shield but proved difficult to spot. However, they establish and maintain their territories using sound, and hardly a day went by when we didn't hear their blood-curdling roaring which can be heard for miles. Fred Pook was one of the lucky few to get a good view and capture this picture.

4 Wedge-capped capuchin monkey (Cebus olivaceus). Common and widespread in the Red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina). Large rodents weighing 3-6kg, agouti Guianas, these monkeys live in large social groups and often displayed their anger at range over the forest floor feeding on nuts. our presence by jumping up and down and shaking branches. Some of the group also saw red faced black spider monkeys (Ateles paniscus) which actually hurled branches. These are classified as threatened by the IUCN due to habitat loss. All New World monkeys have long prehensile tails which is are used as an extra limb and can support their full body weight. 5 Flat-faced fruit-eating bat (Artibeus planirostris). There are over 90 species of bat White-throated round-eared bat (Lophostoma silvicolum). We caught many species at Iwokrama - the highest biodiversity for a protected area in the world. in our mist nets including a specimen of the common vampire (Desmodus 6 rotundus) although it escaped from the net before we could process it. Fer de lance (Bothrops atrox). Camouflage makes these snakes all but undetectable to the untrained eye. This, together with their haemotoxic venom makes them one of the most dangerous snakes in South America. Without treatment, the fatality rate is about 7%. They can strike repeatedly at high speed as we winessed when our guides had to kill one in our jungle camp. 7 Below right: Amazon tree boa (Corallus hortulanus). Spotted by Ben King on a night Above and top right: Cat-eyed snake (Leptodeira annulata). Caught by herpetologist walk due to its eye-shine, this non-venomous snake is nevertheless aggressive and Alfredo, this mildly venomous snake poses no risk to humans so we were allowed to grows to about 6 feet in length. handle it.

8 Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus). WMS, who is blessed with eyes as sharp as any Amerindian guide, spotted this snake as we motored up the Burro Burro river. It disappeared quickly into the river before many had a chance to see it. The Anaconda is one of the iconic species of the South American rainforest. It is hugely powerful due to the robust musculature needed to grapple with deer, tapir and caiman, and even though the reticulated python (Python reticulatus) can grow longer, it the heaviest snake in the world by some margin. The largest recorded anaconda measured 5.21m but unfounded stories abound of much larger specimens.

9 Three-lined ground snake (Atractus trilineatus). This snake was only about 12cm Blunthead treesnake (Imantodes cenchoa). A small, very slender snake with a long and was had a beautiful rainbow sheen. disproportionately large head. It was able to hold a surprising large proportion of it's 10 own body weight straight out. Black Caiman (Melanosuchus niger). Easily visible at night due to the reflection of one's headtorch in its eyes, black caiman grow to at least 5m in length and are the largest predator in the Guiana Shield. Once common, it was hunted to near extinction for its hide but has made a good recovery and is now listed as "conservation dependent" by the IUCN.

Diving lizard (Uranoscodon supersciliousus). Guyana collared lizard (Tropidurus hispidus).

11 Turniptail gecko (Thecadactylus rapicaudada). The extraordinary eyes are about 350 times more sensitive than a human eye and can see in colour even in very dim light.

12 Top and bottom left. The strikingly coloured and patterned Surinam horned frog Top right: Cane toad (Rhinella marina). The largest recorded specimen weighed (Ceratophrys cornuta) is remarkably well camouflaged amongst the leaf litter as is 2.65kg and was 38cm long! It has been successfully used to control cane beetles in Knudsen's frog (Leptodactylus knudseni) (bottom right). Puerto Rico but its release in Australia for the same purpose has been an ecological disaster; its poisonous skin kills many of the that try to eat it and it is spreading rapidly and out-competing local fauna as it does so.

13 Top Left: Tukeit hill frog (Allophryne rutveni). Top Right: Barker frog (Physalaemus cuvieri). Bottom Left: Sheep frog (Hamptophrynae boliviana). Bottom Left:

14 Yellow-banded poison dart frog (Dedrobates leucomelas). One of the largest species of poison dart frogs, it has evolved what is known as aposematic colouration to warn off predators. This species is not used by Amerindians to make poison darts as it is not the most toxic. The most toxic species is the golden poison dart frog (Phyllobates terribilis) which contains about 1mg of poison - enough to kill between 10 and 20 humans. These frogs obtain their toxins via their insect diet. 15 Monkey frog or giant leaf frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor).

16 Amazonian royal flycatcher (Onchorynchus coronatus coronatus). Its wonderful crest is rarely seen in the wild as it is only erected for courtship, mating and preening. Bizarrely, it performs its courtship display when handled and slowly tilts its head from side to side in a hypnotic display. 17 Top left: Scarlet macaw (Ara macao). These large birds mate for life and are usually Top left: Female green aracari (Pteroglossus viridis). One of the smallest members of seen flying in pairs over the forest canopy. Their noisy squawks carry for miles and the toucan family. reveal their presence long before they are seen. Bottom right: American pygmy kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea). Weighing just 18g, Bottom left: Black vulture (Coragyps atratus). Common and widespread, black this bird was caught in one of our mist nets at Iwokrama. vultures, like all New World vultures, defaecate on their legs to help keep themselves cool. They can often been seen holding their wings open to dry off after rain or to warm up in the morning sun. 18 Cocoi heron (Ardea cocoi). Top right: Eastern long-tailed hermit (Phaethornis superciliosus). One of the many hummingbird species in Guyana. Bottom right: The nest of a tinamou. There are eight species of tinamou in Guyana.

19 Yellow-headed caracara (Milvago chimachima). A common bird of prey in Guyana. Top right: Silver-beaked tanager (Ramphocelus carbo). Common and conspicuous in Guyana, this bird was caught in our mist nets at Iwokrama. Bottom right: Green kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana).

20 Black vulture (Coragyps atratus) holdings its wings out to dry after a downpour. Top right: White-crowned manekin (Dixiphia pipra) sub adult male. This bird differs markedly from the adult male which is all black except for a striking white strip on the head. Bottom right: Green-backed trogon (Trogon viridis). One of six species of trogon in Guyana. All are stunningly beautiful.

21 Common pottoo (Nyctibius griseus). A nocturnal bird related to nightjars. Top right: Payara (Hydrolycus scomberoides). These fish grow to be about 3 feet long During the day it remains absolutely still and becomes virtually invisible as it and their fangs can measure 12 cm in length. They are nocturnal predators and this resembles a wooden stump. It can be located more easily at night using eye- one was caught in a net put out over night by our guides. it made good eating. shine. Milner, a wonderful and experienced Amerindian guide at Surama knew Bottom right: Black piranha (Serrasalmus rhombeus). This fish grows up to 45cm in where it would be. length and relative to body mass has the strongest bite of any fish.

22 Whip scorpion (Heterophrynus sp.). Despite their name, whip scorpions belong to a different order of Arachnid from scorpions and spiders and they are harmless to humans. They have no venomous fangs but can grab fingers with their terrifying pedipalps resulting in a small puncture to the flesh. 23 Above left: Scorpion. Like all scorpions worldwide, this one fluoresced bright green Above right: Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria sp.). According to the Guinness under UV light. Even with their eyes covered, scorpions can detect when part of their Book of World Records this is the World's most venomous spider. It is aggressive body is exposed to light and it is thought that their fluorescence is a product of having a and delivers a potent neurotoxin that has been known to cause human fatalities. Its light-sensitive shell. leg-span can reach about 15cm. Below left: The same scorpion under white light. Below right: Net-casting spider. The family Deinopidae build unusual webs that they suspend between their front legs and cast over their prey when it approaches.

24 Above left: Preying mantis eating a fly. Top right: Caterpillar disguised as bird dropping. If the disguise doesn't work the Below left: Pinktoe tarantula (Avicularia avicularia) in a nest made of a rolled leaf. caterpillar will evert orange osmeteria. These are fleshy forked organs (a bit like a The end of the tube was closed with another smaller leaf that filled the gap perfectly. snake's tongue) which also emit a foul odour. Bottom right: Spider. Unknown spp.

25 Spider. Unknown spp. Giant milipede. Unknown spp. This specimen was about 30cm long but, despite its huge size, is completely harmless. 26 Above left: Long-horned beetle (Macrodontia cervicornis). These huge beetles (one Above right: One of many brilliantly coloured beetles. Unknown spp. of the largest species in the world) can grow up to 17cm in length. Below right: Hawk moth caterpillar (unknown spp). This caterpillar was about 15cm Below left: The pupa of a long-horned beetle. This huge pupa was christened and its colouring resembled a fer de lance, giving its discoverer quite a shock. "James" by the entomologist and kept on the dining table at one of our jungle camps. When disturbed it would wriggle disconcertingly.

27 Some of many weird and wonderful fungi seen as we surveyed transects in the forest. For non-ecologists, a transect is a straight line through a habitat along which measurements are taken.

28 Chapter 2: Science

29 Above left: Forestry expert, Scott Sveiven, teaches one of the groups how to measure Above right: American school teacher, Johnny Wilson, explains how camera traps forest structure using clinometers, densiometers and tapes to calculate tree diameter. work and what needs to be considered when setting them up. Below left: Entomologist, Dan Fitzpatrick teaches the day's "poo crew" about dung Below right: Some of the Amerindian guides teach jungle survival skills demonstrating beetles and how to trap them. He uses pitfall traps baited with human faeces and how to set up a hammock, mosquito net and basha and how to use a machete (or requested samples from the group to complete his research. cutlass as they are known in Guyana) safely.

30 Above left: Finn McCormack looks out over the mighty Essequibo river while on a Above right: Large mammal expert, Matt Hallet, leads a group on a transect through nature walk. Finn is looking across to an island, not the far bank which gives an idea the savannah around Surama. He teaches the group to identify tracks and trails and of the size of the river. Just upstream before the island, the river is over 1km wide, positions camera traps daily to create a very extensive camera trap network aimed at even though we were about 260km from the sea. estimating jaguar density, distribution and revealing their habits. Below left: Finn McCormack, Will Street, Hugo Morgan, Freddie Perkins and others Below right: Hugo Morgan, Charles Gillow, Freddie Perkins and Finn McCormack check mist nets for bats at Iwokrama. examine a preserved fer de lance after a lecture on snakes.

31 Top left: Having positioned a camera trap and deliberately triggered it, Bottom left: Joe Davies and Freddie Perkins help untangle a bat from Matt Hallet checks pictures from it to ensure that it is positioned a mist net. correctly before leaving it. Matt is from the Department of Wildlife Top right: Admiring the view from Surama Mountain Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida and is studying Bottom right: Getting a ride back from setting camera traps for jaguars for his PhD. jaguars on a very wet day.

32 Ben King holding a female silver-beaked tanager that has just been extracted from Joe Davies with a male silver-beaked tanager. a mist net at Iwokrama. 33 Will Street and Ben King weighing. Groups helped bat expert, Stef Bonat, to open and Above: Loren Kell and Johnny Jones enjoying handling a frog that has been captured close mist nets each evening, check them regularly until late at night and process all during the evening's search for reptiles and amphibians. the bats caught. Bats had to be identified, weighed and wing-punched. Below: Jess Moeran, Hugo Morgan, Tom Edwards and Fred Pook help entomologist, Dan Fitzpatrick, identify and count dung beetles at Carahaa Jungle Camp.

34 Ivan Tivodar and Johnny Jones under a massive ceiba (kapok) tree. Hugo Morgan contributing to the day's "poo crew" by classifying and counting dung beetles. 35 The returning "herps" team always generated excitement and everyone enjoyed handling the snakes that Herpetologist Alfredo Martin Beraún Rivera permitted us to touch. Here Harry Lane-Fox (left), Charles Gillow (centre) and Finn McCormack handle the blunthead tree snake and cat-eyed snake.

36 Tom Sykes (left), Ben King (centre) and Lucy Scott (right) handle the blunthead tree snake and cat-eyed snake.

37 Finn McCormack helping bat specialist Stef Bonat release a bat after processing it. Above: Jesse Mattinson helps Stef Bonat punch a small hole in the wing of the bat. This allows Stef to determine whether or not a bad has been caught before and with enough data, to estimate population sizes. The holes heal within weeks. Below: Ben King, Jess Moeran, Emma Harris , Freddie Perkins and Will Street admire an Amazon tree boa spotted by Ben and captured by Alfredo the herpetologist.

38 Above: Mammal expert Matt Hallett explains his work and gives instructions to Ben Jess Moeran delights in handling a huge millipede found while walking on one of the King, Jesse Mattinson. Will Street, Freddie Perkins and others before heading out on mammal transects. a transect to look for signs of mammals. Below: The day's bird group return to Carahaa Landing Jungle Camp. The surrounding trails were very muddy and some were flooded which made the going tricky. Most slept on the upper floor of the wooden structure in hammocks slung from beams. Some opted to sleep in the rain forest. 39 Tom Hart helps Guyanese ornithologist Meshach Pierre who takes a photograph of Above: Ornithologist Meshach Pierre explains how to ring birds and teaches his group every bird he captures and rings. about the birds they have captured. The group record all the data for him and help him open and close the nets as well as check them every hour from 5:15am to 4:15pm. Below: Meshach teaches Hamish Partington how to ring a bird.

40 Tom Sykes (left) and Lucy Scott help Meshach photograph manekins before releasing them.

41 Charles Gillow helping to measure forest structure. Charles is using a 3m surveying Above: Tom Hart and Ben Sansom helping Loren (an undergraduate from the pole and counting the number of times plants touch the stick as he places it in each University of Hull) to identify, measure and ring a bird. meter of a 20x20m quadrat. His data gives a clear indication of the density of the Below: Dan Fitzpatrick explaining to Joe Davies and Charles Gillow how to use a understory and ground vegetation in the quadrat. dichotomous key to identify species of dung beetle. To do this, he first has to teach the names of the parts of an insect. On the left is Lorna - our expedition doctor - who looked after us all very well.

42 Forestry specialist, Scott Sveiven gives instructions to Emma Harris, Joe Davies, Emma Harris recording the measurements shouted out by other members of the Freddie Perkins, Charles Gillow, Johnny Jones and Ivan Tivodar before starting work group. on a 20x20m quadrat.

43 Top Left: Ivan Tivodar helps with bird ringing. Bottom left: Enjoying the view from Surama Mountain. Right: Loren Kell helps jaguar expert, Matt Hallett record data while waking a mammal transect.

44 Our final days in Guyana were spent on the Burro Burro River. After three days at Carahaa Landing on the banks of the river, we motored upstream to Rock Landing Camp to begin our river survey. We drifted downstream silently in the relatively fast current recording any aquatic animals and birds we saw. Our Guides were very sharp-eyed and skillful when it came to manoeuvering the boats around fallen trees. At one point we all had to lie down to float under a tree which was so low the engine didn't clear it. We travelled down to Sandstone Camp (where we found two fer de lance), then up to Rain Camp and finally back to Surama. A few caught a glimpses of giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), a green anaconda, red howler monkey and capuchin monkey. The bird life was spectacular, with lovely irridescent flashes from the many kingfishers that we disturbed as we drifted past. We saw no other people during our time on the river. There is no other permanent human habitation nearby and our location, right in the heart of Guyana and not that far from the border with Brazil was truly remote. 45 We also drifted along in the dark using headtorches and spotlights to find eye-shine. Finn McCormack wading through flooded forest. The wellies were bulky and a However as the rainy season has resulted in the river banks flooding for miles, much nuisance to pack but they were indispensable. of the wildlife that would normally be concentrated near the water was more widely dispersed making it difficult to see much.

46 Chapter 3: People and Experience

Loren Kell, Ben Sansom, Lucy Scott and Jess Moran enjoying some down time at Surama Eco Lodge. With some early starts and late nights, down time during the heat of midday was important. The lodge, which was built by the local Amerindian community of Surama Village, was a lovely place to stay and their hospitality was most generous. The hammocks slung around the bar on the first floor with views over the savannah proved popular.

47 Above: Arrival at Kaieteur Falls on our first full day in Guyana. A very exciting start to the expedition. Below: Lucy Scott, Loren Kell, Jess Moeran and Emma Harris (the only girls on the team) posing in front of the falls. We flew to the falls in three light aircraft chartered from Air Services Ltd.

48 Enjoying different views of the falls. Words cannot describe the majesty of the place. We had flown for an hour over rainforest which, apart from the huge rivers running through it and a few scars from gold mining, was completely uninterrupted. The falls are completely unspoilt - there are no shops, no safety barriers and there were no other tourists. We saw the falls pretty much as Charles Barrington Brown would have seen them when he discovered them in 1870.

49 Above: Joe Davies excited by the flight. Below and right: A family preparing to cross the Essequibo river near the ferry crossing at Iwokrama. We watched them negotiate rapids in their dugout canoe.

50 Above: Waiting to board the ferry to Iwokrama after a 10 hour drive from Georgetown. Below: Meal time at Iwokrama River Lodge. The main building had an open-sided first floor with spectacular views over the Essequibo River and the surrounding rainforest. It was an inspiring location rich in wildlife.

51 Will Street and Ben Sansom enjoying the view over the river from Iwokrama Lodge.

52 Tom Edwards helping WMS to fish but catching small JAM is an accomplished painter and spent some fish which could then be used as bait to catch time capturing the beautiful places we visited using piranha. WMS nearly managed to catch the resident water colours. caiman while fishing at night. It responded rapidly to his bait being reeled in and came right up to the jetty.

53 Above left and right: Travelling from Iwokrama to Surama in two Bedford four tonne trucks. The journey took us three hours deeper into the heart of Guyana. The dirt road is the main highway running from Brazil to Georgetown. Below left and right: At Surama, the students slung their hammocks for the first time and slept in a long wooden structure roofed with huge tarpaulins. Here, Finn McCormack and Jess Moeran check their handy work. The knots worked but Lucy Scott's hammock had a hole in which ripped as she got in, depositing her unceremoniously on the dirt floor.

54 On the afternoon of our arrival in Surama, we all walked the 2km from the lodge to the village for a game of football with the locals. Playing in the searing heat and oppressive humidity in walking boots proved challenging although some of the locals played barefoot. There were plently of goals on both sides and some skillful playing on both sides. Charles Gillow managed to break the goal posts which had rotted badly, causing much laughter all round.

55 56 During downtime card games (spoons and poker) proved popular.

57 The hammocks in the bar at the Surama ecologe were extremely comfortable and usually occupied. Jesse Mattinson and Will Street (below) recover from a late night working on bats.

58 Below: We left Surama to head out for three days to Carahaa Landing Camp before our river trip. Here, due to the daily downpours, the river has risen by several feet, blocking the trail to the camp so we transferred to boats and went by river instead.

59 Above: Some of us opted to sleep in the rainforest at Carahaa Landing and we Above: Members of the team pose after a refreshing wash in the river. enjoyed finding a safe spot (with no risk of falling trees), clearing a small patch of Below: Gamblers den. WMS plays poker with Freddie Perkins, Tom Hart and others. ground with a cutlass and putting up our hammocks, mosquito nets and bashas. The ground has been carpeted with fresh palm leaves and a small bedside table has been built with four forked sticks. Below: Scott Sveiven (our excellent leader) Lorna (our doctor) and Dan Fitzpatrick enjoy a game of Carcassonne to pass the time in the evening. 60 Above: Johnny Jones on the Burro Burro River. Above: Squeezing under a fallen tree on the river. It was so low that the engine Below: The kitchen tent at Sandstone camp during one of the daily downpours. wouldn't clear it until we moved to the back of the boat to push the boat lower in the water. At one point the guides had to use a chainsaw to make the river navigable. Below: One of many games of spoons at Sandstone Camp. Little did we know that there was a fer de lance about 6 feet from the end of the table until the sharp-eyed guides spotted it and killed it.

61 Above: The villagers from Surama take it in turns to come out to the camps to act as Above: The main building at the Surama Ecologe. cooks and guides to support their venture into ecotourism. Below: Tom Sykes, Lucy Scott, Loren Kell and Jess Moeran wash in the river at Rain Below: A skewer of beetle grubs extracted from the inside of palm nuts. WMS used Camp. The current was reasonably swift so our guides tied ropes across the river for them as bait for fishing but once the guides mentioned that they could be eaten safety. several started to forage, open the nuts with machetes and eat the grubs as they tasted surprisingly good.

62 Joe Davies (above) and Jess Moeran (below) posing with huge black Ben King eating dinner at Rain Camp with a skewer of beetle grubs that he collected piranhas caught in nets set overnight by our guides. from palm nuts.

63 Chapter 4: Landscape

64 Kaieteur Falls. The statistics help a little in conveying the sheer grandeur of these falls which are undoubtedly one of the most impressive deserving of a place amongst Iguazu, Victoria and Niagra Falls. They are the World's widest single drop fall and, while some falls are taller, the combination of width, height and water volume makes them the most powerful falls in the World in terms of flow rate (663 cubic meters per second). The falls are 251m high (about four times higher than Niagra and twice the height of Victoria Falls) and about 100m wide. The falls are on the Potaro River which runs over a layer of hard conglomerate overlying softer sandstone which has eroded to create the spectacular falls. The distinctive colour of the water is typical of many blackwater rivers which are stained dark brown by tannins from decaying vegetation which leach into the water, creating acidic nutrient-poor waters. The remote location of the falls in the midst of miles of uninterupted rainforest and the complete lack of development makes the falls far more rewarding than the other great falls of the World. Flying in also provides incredible aerial views such as this picture taken by Tom Sykes. The falls have a very small airstrip that can only accommodate the smallest aircraft. This is no accident. Malcom Chan a Sue, was responsible for building it and made it small deliberately to discourage development. With over 23,000 flying hours, he is now in charge of aviation in Guyana. He was also the pilot who flew me together with a small group of Salopians to the falls in 1995. We celebrated the 60th birthday of the legendary Salopian schoolmaster Michael (Freddie) Hall there. It was hugely exciting to be back there twenty years later. Bizarrely, we bumped into Malcom and his wife, Margaret, who stayed at Surama Ecolodge on our penultimate night in Guyana.

65 66 Bottom left: The view from Surama Mountain. The climb was steep, wet and very Above: The view from the Iwokrama River Lodge across the Essequibo River. difficult in the heat of the day but well worth it for the views. Below: The Iwokrama Lodge in a grassy clearing surrounded by rainforest.

67 68 A view of the Surama Ecolodge (top left) and views from the first floor bar of the savannah and surrounding rainforest.

69 Below left: The Surama Ecolodge. Below right: Flooded forest on our way from Surama to Carahaa Landing Camp.

70 The Burro Burro River.

71 72 A statement painted on the wall of the village hall at Surama Village, the sentiments of which give a clear indication of the way in which the Makushi run their village. They built and staff the Ecolodge which, according to the Bradt guide book on Guyana, employs about 70 people either directly as hospitality staff, guides, cooks, artisans and drivers or indirectly as farmers, hunters, fishermen, construction and maintenance workers. Roughly 60% of the community's income is now sustainably derived from tourism-related activities and 75% of village households report tourism as a source of income. The village has become an award-winning role model for community-based tourism in Guyana. Species List Amphibians White-tipped dove Red-capped cardinal Sheep frog Grey-fronted dove Amazon royal flycatcher Mammals Cane toad Ruddy ground dove Blue-black grosbeak Wedge-capped capuchin Horned Surinam toad Scarlet macaw Groove-billed ani Red-faced black spider monkey Long-legged hill frog Red and green macaw Blue-grey tanager Red howler monkey Mountain chicken frog Blue and yellow macaw Yellow-rumped cacique Red brocket deer Yellow-banded poison dart frog Blue-headed parrot Green oropendola Red-rumped agouti Crosseyed frog Orange-winged parrot Crested oropendola Delicate slender mouse oppossum Golden frog Dusky parrot Tropicall mockingbird Giant otter Painted parakeet Mongoose Birds Squirrel cuckoo Fish Paca Tinamou Common potoo Back piranha Tayra Frigate bird Common nighthawk Eel Spear-nosed bat Anhinga White-banded swallow Payara Short-tailed fruit bat Green ibis White-collared swift Himara peacock bass River bat Cattle egret Reddish hermit hummingbird Arowana Common vampire bat Cocoi Heron Eastern long-tailed hermit hummingbird Arapaima Fishing bat Jabiru stork Amazonian white-tailed trogon Catfish White-throated round-eared bat Striated heron Paradise jacamar Lesser spear-nosed bat Agami heron Amazon Kingfisher Parnell's mustached bat Yellow-headed caracara Green Kingfisher Flat-faced fruit-eating bat Red-throated caracara American pygmy kingfisher Black collared hawk Green and rufous kingfisher Reptiles Savannah hawk Nun bird Amazon tree boa Plumbeous kite White-throated toucan Green anaconda Swallow-tailed kite Channel-billed toucan Fer de lance Black vulture Green aracari Cat-eyed snake Greater yellow-headed vulture Black-necked aracari Blunthead tree snake King vulture Crimson crested woodpecker Coral snake Grey hawk Wedge-billed wood creeper Black caiman White hawk Amazonian barred woodcreeper Spectacled caiman Pearl kite Blackish grey antshrike Basilisk (Jesus Christ) lizard Roadside hawk Ferruginous-backed antbird Anole lizard Lined forest falcon White-headed manakin House gecko Great black hawk Rufous-throated antbird Skink Chachalaca Ochre-bellied flycatcher Giant ameiva lizard Spix's guan Tropical kingbird Collard lizard Piping guan Great kiskadee Striped forest whiptail Black curassow Screaming piha Bridled forest gecko Grey-winged trumpeter Olive-grey tanager Turnip-tailed gecko Pied Silver-beaked tanager Diving lizard Wattled jacana Palm tanager Sungrebe Golden-sided tanager

Voyage Beagle, 1839) "...nothing can be more improving to a young naturalist, than a journey in distant countries". Charles Darwin ( of the Guyana Expedition 2015 Shrewsbury School Biology Department

Guyana 2015