Topic: Essay comparing the Guyana Zoological Park to the Iwokrama Rainforest Conservation

Development Centre as agents of Biodiversity Conservation.

The world is filled with the known and the unknown; the flora, the fauna and the habitats they occupy are
no exceptions to this rule. In every part of the earth, the landscapes are filled with biomes of similar ecosystems
and yet distinct so that each ecosystem is characteristic of the species that called it their home. In these biomes,
from the extremist of temperatures such as volcanoes, the high pressures of the deepest depth of the ocean (e.g.
the Mariana Ocean), or the best of conditions, they are plants and animals of diverse colours and sizes- let it be
from the simplest of unicellular organism or the complexity of the multicellular organisms.

Biodiversity represents the plants and animals living in the biosphere or a particular habitat. There are
three (3) types of biodiversity: species biodiversity, ecosystem biodiversity and genetic diversity. Ecosystem
biodiversity refers to the habits (e.g. oceans, lakes, rivers, etc.) in the earths biosphere while species biodiversity
is all of the species and their inter-relationships in an ecosystem. Species biodiversity, ecosystem biodiversity and
genetic biodiversity are all interlinked and one cannot survive without the other. Ecosystems are dynamic and
through natural processes (e.g. natural disasters and death), the diversity of different ecosystems are kept in
check. However, due to over-exploitation by humans activities, the biodiversity has been greatly affected.
Fortunately, humans have seen their catastrophic effects of their activities and have introduced conservation
systems to preserve the biodiversity. The system where a designated area is chosen for protection, usually a
natural habitat, is known as an in-situ conservation while the system where selected species are removed from
their natural habitats (majorly because their habits are damaged, endangered or destroyed) and placed in
zoological parks or botanic gardens is known as ex-situ conservation. Two local examples of the largely known
conservation sites of in site and ex-situ conservation are the Iwokrama Rainforest Conservation Development
Centre and the Guyana Zoological Park respectively.

The Guyana Zoological Park was officially launched in 1952 with the aim of promoting and developing a
wildlife centre for conservation, education, recreation and scientific study for the benefits of all citizens of
Guyana (2017). The Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development (Iwokrama
conservation for short) is a non-profit institution launched by the Guyana and the Commonwealth countries,
created in the year 1992, with the primary aim of promoting the conservation and the sustainable and equitable
use of tropical rain forests in a manner that leads to lasting ecological, economic and social benefits to people
both locally and internationally by undertaking research, training and the development and dissemination of
technologies (Iwokrama Conservation , 2016). Both the conservation sites have a primary aim of promoting
conservation, but what they are promoting and to who are different; the Zoological Park promotes wildlife
conservation and its primary audience is the countries citizens while the Iwokrama conservation aims to promote
rainforest conservation (including both plants and animal species that inhabit the Iwokrama rainforest and
neighbouring territories) towards an audience of local and international mass. Though both of the conservation
sites has similar goals towards conservation, their method in which they are integrating it and the class of
conservation they belong too are quite different; the Iwokrama conservation is an in-situ conservation while the
Guyana Zoological park is an ex-situ conservation.

The Iwokrama Rainforest Conservation Development Centre is a vast conservation site spanning three hundred
and seventy-one thousand (371 000) hectares of land. Its main office is located at 77 High Street, Kingston,
Georgetown, Guyana while the Guyana Zoological Park is located in the capital city of Guyana and sits on four
(4) acres of land. The Iwokrama Rainforest reserve is a vast site, and its rule is split into four essential
programmes to achieve effective conservation. They are Business Development, Research and Science, Capacity
Building and Management and Monitoring. Each division has its own key functions that enable the conservation
site to function properly. Further above the rank of the four divisions are the International Board of Trustees
(IBoT) who has ultimate responsibility for the management of the site and whose roles are to determines the
policies and priorities of the Centre, appoints the CEO and plays a substantial role in fund-raising (Iwokrama
Conservation, 2016). The Guyana Zoological Park has a different approach to management, and some might even
deem it as inefficient. The Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) (the body with the overall administrative
responsibility for the functioning of the zoo) has turned a blind eye to the several challenges faced by the zoo
such as horrible working conditions, poorly kept cages and/or animals, limited safety gear and the absence of
medical facilities (Bharrat, 2010). The zoo actively needs a minimum staff of thirty-five (35) to work efficiently,
however, the zoos staff has severely deteriorated and not many efforts have been taken to replace them. They are
currently twenty-three (23) staffs. Workers are also exposed to high-risk environments with no insurance
coverage. The source of the Zoological Park deteriorating state lies in its funding.

The zoo as a single body does little to maintain itself, i.e. admission to the Zoological Park is GUY $100 and the
park receives approximately one hundred and twenty thousand visitors annually. Though the Zoological Park
generates roughly eighteen (18) million Guyana dollars yearly and receives an approximate annual fee of thirty
(30) million Guyana dollars from the NDC, a minimum of seventy (70) million dollars is required to adequately
manage the facility (Bharrat, 2010). Fortunately, the Zoological Zoo (under the Three Parks Initiative that is a
collaboration between the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE) and the Protected Areas
Commission (PAC)) work has been set in place to modernise the zoo of Guyana. However, funding remains a
crucial factor. The aim of the plan is to increase visitors and generate revenue. On the other side, while the
Zoological Park has trouble securing funds, the Iwokrama Rainforest Conservation Development Centre does not
have such a problem. Despite having tough international financial conditions in 2009, the centre recorded a
healthy cash flow surplus. The Iwokrama Rainforest Conservation Development Centre core cost ranges from
US$750,000 to US$1,200,000 annually. Throughout the years, the centre has been primarily financed by grants
from donors both locally and internationally.

As one of only four (4) remaining intact rainforest areas in the world, the Iwokrama Rainforest reserve boasts a
very rich biodiversity and geographical features. The three hundred and seventy-one thousand (371 000) hectares
is divided into two distinct areas the Sustainable Utilization Area (SUA) and the Wilderness Preserve (WP).
The Iwokrama forest is home to some of the worlds largest and most endangered species of animals such as the
Giants of El Dorado including harpy eagles, jaguar, giant river otters, arapaima, etc The Iwokrama Forest
together with its neighbour, the North Rupununi Wetlands, contains the largest number of fish and bat species in
the world. Besides the fauna of the Iwokrama Forest, the flora is also abundant. One thousand two-hundred and
fifty (1 250) species of plants have been found, identified and recorded in the forest, and that number is likely to
exceed two thousand (2 000) species of plants. The Guyana Zoological Park, albeit small compared to the
biodiversity of the Iwokrama Rainforest, houses approximately 30 species of mammals, 40 species of birds, 15
species of reptiles and 20 species of fish. Some endangered species can also be found at the zoo e.g. harpy eagles,
giant otters, West Indian manatees, etc

Maintaining biodiversity is an essential task for the earth and many sites have been sprung up to tackle this
challenge. Due to a high demand for timber and other riches found in many of the worlds forests, many forests
and ecosystems have been destroyed for the benefits of man. However, The Iwokrama International Centre for
Rain Forest Conservation and Development and the Guyana Zoological Park are two local conservations in
Guyana who have taken up the difficult role of preserving the earths ecosystem for this generation and the future.
Besides conserving the biodiversity, whether it be ex-situ such as the Guyana Zoological Park or in-situ such as
the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development, humans can study the
complex relationships occurring in the wild or through the interaction of species.

References
(2017). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/pg/GuyanaZoo/about/?ref=page_internal
Bharrat, S. (2010, March 23). Zoo being mismanaged, under-funded. Retrieved from Stabroek
News: http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/archives/03/23/zoo-being-mismanaged-under-
funded/
Funding remains key for zoo rehabilitation. (2014, June 1). Retrieved from Stabroek News:
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2014/news/stories/06/01/funding-remains-key-zoo-
rehabilitation/
Iwokrama Conservation . (2016). Retrieved from https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Iwokrama
%20Overview%20Profile%20%20-%20Updated%20June%2027%202016.pdf?
token=AWwsyeaY2-ePtYV7lWMbtP4ys2mcFY9aiT5OFR230m-wBuVAxaBZwZHialhyNzAN-
k94EtdYDF19IiuPbNinOuOiuz77LpTcV7IMOBSqujE4qpRZErYQLgthYmoDsOQTsAlmIJxDgs_fJLD
mI0
National Parks Commission- Annual Report. (2010). Retrieved from
http://parliament.gov.gy/documents/acts/4166-
national_parks_commission_annual_report_2010.pdf