The “Otter Lady” passes away at 84
The “Otter Lady” in her element with her pets,the giant otters
The “Otter Lady” in her element with her pets,the giant otters

THE Karanambu Ranch in the Rupununi on Saturday announced the passing of its founder, conservationist, Diane McTurk. She was 84.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ms Diane Valme McTurk, who

McTurk with students of the village of Yurupukari in the Rupununi (Karanambu Ranch photo)
McTurk with students of the village of Yurupukari in the Rupununi (Karanambu Ranch photo)

passed peacefully this morning after a brief illness,” the ranch said in a statement on the passing of one of Guyana’s famous conservationists known as the “Otter Lady.”

McTurk’s funeral and burial will be held at Karanambu on December 17 and her remains will be laid alongside those of her mother. According to the ranch, a formal memorial to celebrate her remarkable life will be planned for 2017 at a date to be announced.
“In tribute to her and her beloved beasts, we ask friends and followers to share photos and memories of her in the coming days in tribute to the great joy and inspiration that she brought to so many the world over #Karanambu Lodge #OtterLady #GuyanaGirl,” the lodge said.

Earlier this year, relatives told this publication that 2016 is especially important to the family as “Aunty Di”, as she is called in family circles , returned to Guyana from the United Kingdom to be part of the independence celebrations and to be , in her words, a part of the new Guyana.
“So it is also a celebration for our family, as it marks her decision to return full time to Guyana and determined the path that her life took there after which resulted in her tireless work to preserve Karanambu and the Giant Otters for which she has become so famous,” a relative related via email.

According to the Karanambu Trust website, McTurk is the visionary behind both the Trust and the Karanambu Lodge. The North Rupununi was her home, it said.
She was born at Karanambu soon after her pioneer father, Tiny McTurk, established a cattle ranch there. Tiny was also a naturalist and Diane learned to appreciate the region’s extraordinary flora and fauna at an early age.

After attending the Wychwood School in Oxford, England, she moved to London to work in the hospitality business for the Savoy Group.
In 1966, Diane returned to Guyana to celebrate the country’s independence. She subsequently became the press officer for The Guyana Sugar Producers Association.
Later, she would move back to England briefly and worked in corporate public relations before returning to her Rupununi roots in 1976.

Like all the cattle ranches in the area at the time, Karanambu had suffered from a series of misfortunes: epidemics of diseases had decimated the herds, and there were difficulties protecting the cattle from rustlers.
As a result, Diane looked for alternatives to make a living. Karanambu was well known for its wildlife and spectacular fishing, and had always been a welcome rest stop for unexpected visitors.

As such, in 1983, she opened her home to eco-tourists. Diane also offered refuge to injured or orphaned wildlife. Sadly, the animal that appeared most often was one of the most endangered: the Giant Otter.
“By necessity, Diane became a world expert on the care and rehabilitation of this species,” the body said on its website.
The woman has reared over 40 orphaned otter cubs, returning most of them to the wild for a chance at freedom.

In 1997, Diane, with the support of the McTurk family, established the Karanambu Trust as a private charity.

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