Sustainable Wildlife Management - Programme Guyana

05/06/2026

Happy World Environment Day!

This World Environment Day, we are proud to share our latest video highlighting a groundbreaking milestone for biodiversity tracking in Guyana's stunning Rupununi region. See our new video in the following link;

youtube.com/watch?si=e3jEsvXe5oSzaSmX&v=9c6mbRPKVnE&feature=youtu.be

Indigenous communities and researchers have joined forces to merge traditional ecological knowledge with cutting-edge science. By combining tools like camera trapping, bird counts, passive acoustic monitoring, environmental DNA (eDNA), fish stock assessments, and traditional ecological knowledge, we've developed a reliable, cost-effective blueprint to track ecosystem health.

The impact so far? Initial results from just three of these methods detected 741 unique species across seven sites—including vital data on threatened species like the jaguar, giant armadillo, and crested eagle.

True conservation pairs data-driven insights with ancestral traditions, empowering local leaders and governments alike to make informed management decisions for a resilient future.



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission
Landscape Alliance Global
Delegation of the European Union in Guyana
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
EU International Partnerships
Wildlife Conservation Society
United Nations Biodiversity

Discover how innovative biodiversity monitoring approaches are improving conservation efforts by combining different advanced data collection methods into on...

25/05/2026

Currently the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme is supporting the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) to create a document on “Wildlife Use Guidelines” to help 4 pilot communities (Sawariwau, Maruranau, Aishalton and Karaudarnau) map out their hunting zones within their titled lands. The first consultation was successfully held in Sawariwau Village with community resource persons, including experienced hunters and knowledgeable residents who understand the land, wildlife, and traditional practices within their titled lands.

During the consultation, the draft Wildlife Use Guidelines were presented, and discussions were held to collaboratively map hunting zones within the village’s titled lands to support sustainable wildlife management for present and future generations.

A massive thank you to the Sawariwau Village Council for permitting and continuing to support the SWM team’s work within the community. Your partnership and commitment to sustainable wildlife management are deeply appreciated. Special thanks as well to our consultant for leading and guiding this important process alongside the community. Thank you to Aquila Fernandes (SWM Consultant) for facilitating the consultation, and welcome to the team!

We also extend sincere appreciation to all participants who contributed their valuable knowledge, experiences, and recommendations. Your input is essential in creating practical and culturally appropriate rules that will help sustain wildlife and protect the natural heritage of the South Rupununi.

A follow-up consultation will soon be conducted to present the revised draft to the wider public for discussion and endorsement. Together, we continue building a stronger future for community-led wildlife co-management.

Photo credit 📷 : Aquila Fernandes



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission

23/05/2026

Happy World Turtle Day!

Today we would like to highlight the amazing turtle work that has been happening in Guyana over the past 8 years, with support from the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme! We would like to share this video highlighting our work and successes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFZOMszgx54

More than 18,000 eggs have been protected while supporting local rangers and conservation action across 131 beaches! Learn more facts in our new video.

With the SWM Programme Guyana ending this year, we hope that the efforts for turtle conservation will continue with our partners and local communities, and we feel confident that this is what is going to happen!

Happy World Turtle Day 🐢



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission
South Rupununi Conservation Society
Caiman House, Yupukari Village
CIFOR-ICRAF
Delegation of the European Union in Guyana
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
EU International Partnerships
Wildlife Conservation Society
United Nations Biodiversity

Across the Rupununi Region in Guyana, communities are leading effor...

22/05/2026

Happy International Day for Biological Diversity 2026! The theme this year is “Acting locally for global impact”.

The Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme Guyana is proud to share this FPIC (Free, Prior, and Informed Consent) video we have produced of the amazing work we have been doing in Region 9! See the video in the below link;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEdJH6NZ-0o

With support from the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme, 10 Amerindian villages have developed Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) guidelines to help shape decisions affecting their future.

Local action can only happen when the rights, voices, and autonomy of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are respected from day one. That’s where FPIC comes in.
FPIC isn't just a legal checkbox or a bureaucratic step; it is the foundational bedrock of conservation. If we want to protect global ecosystems, we must first ensure that the traditional stewards of these lands have the power, the information, and the choice to shape their own futures.



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission
CIFOR-ICRAF
Delegation of the European Union in Guyana
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
EU International Partnerships
Wildlife Conservation Society
United Nations Biodiversity

In the Rupununi Region of Guyana, Indigenous communities are strengthening their role in protecting biodiversity, culture and traditional lands. With support...

18/05/2026

The Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme completed the visits to the North Villages of the Biodiversity Monitoring Component (2024-2026) and presented the preliminary results from the component to Apoteri, Rewa, Katoka and Yupukari.

These onboarding sessions on the community dashboards are empowering village leaders to effectively navigate their data and leverage it for local governance. Thanks to collaborative discussions and strong partnerships, it is clear these insights will be vital for:

• Managing Community Conservation Areas
• Developing Sustainable Tourism
• Implementing Evidence-Based Natural Resource Management

Well done to everyone involved in the Biodiversity Component! Thank you to the core team for travelling around and delivering these preliminary results to the villages. Thank you to the European Union (EU) for supporting this initiative.

Photo credit 📷 : Oswin David, Luke McKenna



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission

14/05/2026

Last week, the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme team travelled to the villages of Sawariwau, Aishalton, and Maruranau to present the preliminary results of the SWM Programme Biodiversity Monitoring Component (2024-2026) and to hand over customized community dashboards.

These orientations on how to use the community dashboards are helping to empower village leaders to navigate their data and explore its potential for local governance.

Through fruitful discussions and incredible partnerships, it is clear that these insights will be vital for:

• Community Conservation Areas
• Sustainable Tourism Development
• Evidence-based Natural Resource Management

The journey continues this week in the North Rupununi; look out for updates!

Thank you to Neal Millar (SWM Biodiversity Coordinator), Michelle Kenyon (SWM Site Coordinator, and Social Safeguards Focal Point), Jemima Taylor (SWM Programme Assistant Site Manager) and Mikey Burnett (SWM Driver) for your continued hard work to get these results to the communities involved in the project.

Photo credit 📷 : Michelle Kenyon



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission

07/05/2026

Check out a publication by CIFOR-ICRAF called “From source to destination: Strengthening policy responses to the songbird trade in the Guiana Shield”.

Find it on the following link; https://www.cifor-icraf.org/knowledge/publication/9458/

The Guiana Shield’s unique songbirds face growing threats from a global trade network that exploits gaps in international regulations and domestic enforcement. To protect these species, destination countries must strengthen their legal frameworks to support conservation efforts in source regions. Ultimately, success depends on coordinated regional action that empowers Indigenous and rural communities while addressing the cultural roots of the trade.



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission
CIFOR-ICRAF

Weak regulation of songbird trade in the Guiana Shield threatens endemic biodiversity, highlighting the need for stronger laws and community‑based solutions.

28/04/2026

Check out this new article “How smarter biodiversity monitoring is helping protect the ecosystems people rely on” on the following Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) page;

https://www.cifor-icraf.org/press/press-release/how-smarter-biodiversity-monitoring-is-helping-protect-the-ecosystems-people-rely-on/

The article talks about the early results of the biodiversity component work in Guyana, and the partnership between CIFOR-ICRAF, Map of Life (MoL), and the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme Guyana. In Guyana, these integrated approaches have identified 741 species across three methods (camera traps, soundscapes and eDNA) so far! Read the article to learn more!

A big thanks to the European Union (EU) for funding this initiative!



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission
Map of Life
CIFOR-ICRAF
Delegation of the European Union in Guyana

A researcher collects water samples for eDNA analysis, one of the six monitoring methods being tested. Photo by Luke McKenna/FAO. An integrated approach to...

28/04/2026

Check out the new and improved SWM Legal Hub!

https://www.fao.org/sustainable-wildlife-legal-hub/en

Our upgraded platform offers broader insights into wildlife management, community rights, and sustainable farming. It is now easier to use and better aligned with international standards.

Key Features
• Legal Resources: Access country-specific legal links (FAOLEX), verified legal profiles, and analysis on customary laws.
• Legal Diagnostic Tools (LDTs): We use these frameworks to evaluate legal systems and set priorities across 18 different sectors, including "One Health" and community rights.
Next Steps for Guyana
These tools are currently being rolled out globally. This data will be used to update the Guyana Legal Hub, with a fully revised version of the platform expected by the end of 2026.



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission

Home

27/04/2026

Good news! The card game we made “Games of the Rupununi” is making its rounds!

Kim Spencer and her wildlife clubs are challenging their wildlife knowledge in a fun way and have been having a great time with the game! We are delighted that the game is so fun and effective for learning – we plan to print more over the next few months and distribute to wildlife clubs.

Photo credit 📷 : Kim Spencer



Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission