Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana

Speaker: Tony Thorne

Company: Wilderness Explorers

Date: Saturday 2nd February

Time: 3.00pm

Location: Theatre 1

On the north-east shoulder of South America sit three virtually unknown and unvisited countries. Each has an intriguing past as France, Holland and England fought to gain a foothold in South America. Guyana and Suriname eventually gained independence from Britain and the Netherlands respectively, but French Guiana remains an Overseas Department of France. Tiny populations in relatively large countries means little human intrusion into the immense Guiana Shield, a might rainforest that runs from Venezuela through these three countries into Brazil.

This is one of the few remaining large tracts of rainforest left in the world and it is home to some of the Neotropics best species. Here you can see Jaguar, Giant River Otters, Black Caiman, Giant Anteaters, Tapir and the list goes on. The forests are full of amazing birds. In fact the biodiversity of the Guiana Shield is particularly rich, with an estimated 20,000 vascular plant species, of which about 35% (7,000) are endemic, making it one of the three richest tropical wilderness areas on Earth. Bird species are estimated at 975, with 150 endemics and 25 near-endemics; reptiles at 280 species, with 76 endemics, mammals at 282 species, with 27 endemics, amphibians at 272 species, with 127 endemics, and freshwater fish at 2200 species, with 700 endemics.

Indigenous populations still live in the forest and savannahs, most still practising traditional farming and hunting methods blended with modern adaptations, and most welcome tourists to their communities. So come and learn about these little known destinations and the nature and adventure tourism that is on offer.