wildlife

Wildlife

1.0 Introduction

Guyana has a diverse population of both fauna and flora, many existing in the forested areas of the country as well as the savannah and mountainous regions.


Plate 1. Savannah deer	Plate 2. Ocelot

Plate 3.Harpy eagle	Plate 4. Vulture

1.1 Guyana's wildlife

The country's wildlife is in its most critical state known. There are thirty or more animals listed on the redlist for endangered species. The animals are threatened by human activities such as mining, logging, settlement, and hunting. Animals such as the jaguar, leatherback turtle, harpy eagle, giant otter, caiman and manatee are all endangered, other animals believed to be endangered are the Canjie pheasant and the Aripaima, the world's largest fresh water fish.

Below is a list of some species present in Guyana that are included on the IUCN's redlist:

Critically Endangered Species

Scientific Name	Common Name
Dermochelys coriacea	Leatherback
Eretmochelys imbricata	Hawksbill Turtle
Numenius borealis	Eskimo Curlew

Endangered Species

Scientific Name	Common Name
Aniba rosaeodora	Car-cara
Carduelis cucullata	Red Siskin
Chelonia mydas	Green Turtle
Iodopleura pipra	Buff-throated Purpletuft
Lepidochelys olivacea	Olive Ridley Pacific Ridley
Neusticomys venezuelae	-
Priodontes maximus	Giant Armadillo
Pteronura brasiliensis	Giant Brazilian Otter Giant Otter
Synallaxis kollari	Hoary-throated Spinetail
Trichilia surumuensis	-
Virola surinamensis	-

Vulnerable Species

Scientific Name	Common Name
Geochelone denticulata	Brazilian Giant Tortoise Forest Tortoise
Inia geoffrensis	Amazon River Dolphin
Myrmecophaga tridactyla	Giant Anteater
Podocnemis unifilis	Yellow-spotted River Turtle
Speothos venaticus	Bush Dog Savannah Dog
Trichechus manatus	American Manatee Caribbean Manatee North American Manatee West Indian Manatee
Trichechus manatus ssp. manatus	Antillean Manatee

Lower risk- Conservation Dependent Species

Scientific Name Common Name

Melanosuchus niger Black Caiman

Lower Risk- Near Threatened Species

Scientific Name	Common Name
Amazona dufresniana	Blue-cheeked Amazon Blue-cheeked Parrot
Harpia harpyja	Harpy Eagle
Leopardus tigrinus	Little Spotted Cat
Morphnus guianensis	Crested Eagle
Mustelus canis	Dusky Smoothhound
Neochen jubata	Orinoco Goose
Panthera onca	Jaguar
Tapirus terrestris	Brazilian Tapir Lowland Tapir South American Tapir

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Scientific Name	Common Name
Melanosuchus niger	Black Caiman