BIODIVERSITY

Guyana is home to many of the iconic South American species in particular the so called “giants of El Dorado,” in other words, many of the largest species on the planet and or continent of South America and indeed the planet. These include Black Caiman, Giant River Otter, Arapaima, Harpy Eagle, Jaguar, Goliath bird-eating Spider, Giant River Turtle, Anaconda, and Giant Armadillo.

The Kanuku Mountains and the associated savannas are relatively intact. The high overall biodiversity of the region is supported by an unusually diverse array of habitats, which range from savanna, gallery forests, and semi-deciduous forests in the lowlands to lowland and montane evergreen forests in the foot hills and mountains. The Kanuku Mountains are also remarkable for harboring healthy populations of many species that are listed on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list of threatened species such as those listed above. Check out our bird, mammal, and herp lists for more in depth scientific information and species lists.