08/07/2026
The Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme just presented the final results of the programme, consolidating data from the eight years of implementation, and additionally the preliminary results of the Biodiversity Component aspect of the programme at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) boardroom in Georgetown!
This event highlighted the opportunity to review the findings of the Biodiversity Component with some insightful findings discussed. The biodiversity component spanned across two years and included a total of 7 villages across the Rupununi. Six methods were analysed during the project; these included camera trapping, passive acoustic monitoring, bird counts, environmental DNA (eDNA), local ecological knowledge and fish stock assessments, and they focused on three taxonomic groups: fish, mammals and birds. The aim of this component was to assess which method is most cost-effective. In short, the summary is the preliminary results covered findings from camera trapping, acoustic monitoring and eDNA.
- Acoustic monitoring found 459 species and is best for birds, frogs, and vocal species.
- Camera trapping found 88 species and is best for big mammals and ground birds.
- Richness detected was highest near the sites of Rewa, Katoka, and Marurunau.
- A regional AI model has been created, capable of identifying 445 species classes; this is one of the largest regional identifying databases to date.
- 133 eDNA samples were collected with 276 vertebrate’s species identified: 195 fish, 32 mammals, 22 amphibians, 11 birds and 10 reptiles. 7 threatened species: 4 mammals, 2 turtles, and 1 fish.
- In total summary, over 700 individual species have been detected so far by camera trapping, acoustic monitoring, and eDNA.
Consolidated findings showed that
- camera trapping is best for identifying mammals
- Acoustic monitoring is best for identifying birds
- eDNA is best for identifying fish
At the end of this biodiversity project, the communities were presented the results in person, provided with the dashboard containing the analysed data, shown how to use the dashboards, and given hard drives containing all of the raw data.
These findings will be used to inform the monitoring design for the National Biodiversity Monitoring Initiative, which is the border-to-border biodiversity monitoring vision for Guyana. This is an incredible feat to achieve, and the first of its kind on such a scale in the world. Additionally, the results will be compared across the SWM sites globally to improve understanding of multi-method monitoring approaches at a global scale.
We would like to firstly thank the communities for all their hard work, without whom the projects would not even exist. We extend our gratitude to the European Union (EU) for their continued funding of this initiative. Thank you to our implementing partner, the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC), with whom our partnership over the project has become incredibly strong and productive. Thank you to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations for supporting us throughout. Thank you to our six local partners for being dedicated to their respective visions, it has been our delight to support your initiative. Thank you to all of the village councils for your involvement in project activity. Thank you to all stakeholders we have worked closely with over the project.
Photo credit 📷 : Luke McKenna
Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission
EPA - Guyana
Delegation of the European Union in Guyana
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Visit Rupununi
South Rupununi Conservation Society
Rupununi Livestock Producers Association
Caiman House, Yupukari Village
rupununi district development board
South Rupununi District Council
of life
Yale University
