FOLLOWING the signing of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2016 into law, wildlife exporters who operate from the South Rupununi are eagerly awaiting the restart of the trade.

This is even as traders have been facing challenges in caring for animals in their possession and which cannot be traded overseas at the moment since the suspension of the line of work, which is awaiting the establishment of the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission.

The Act, which enables the establishment of the commission, was signed into order on June 1 by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, under whose ministerial portfolio the commission falls. It was debated and subsequently passed by the National Assembly last August.

Trader Elizabeth Perry, who operates between the Coastland and the South Rupununi village of Maruranau told the Guyana Chronicle this week that since February this year, no export licenses or permits were renewed by the Wildlife Division, which now falls under the Department of Environment.
She said that this has led to a loss of income and work for herself and villagers. Perry said that approximately 5000 persons in the indigenous communities, who provide most of the wildlife species for export, as well as persons who are employed at trapping stations , have been unable to earn an income as a result of the situation.

“Our community here in the Rupununi welcomes the commission’s mandate to promote the wildlife trade as a holistic sustainable and renewable economic resource with special emphasis on our indigenous communities,” Perry said.

She explained that she has been involved in the wildlife trade since 2003. Perry provides a service in which she receives orders from clients overseas, who would request certain species of animals. The request would then be placed at the level of the village councils and the village leader would announce or make known to the village council and villagers, the request.

Once the request is green-lighted, the process of trapping commences and Perry would hire a vehicle and travel from the Coastland into the Rupununi, where she would collect the orders and make payments to the village. She said the fee includes royalty aid to the village council. Perry trades animals such as spiders, water/land turtles, snakes among other reptiles.

Some three years ago, the commercial airlines stopped transporting the animals; as a result traders resorted to ferrying the animals by land and water transport. This occurs mainly at nights since the temperature is best suited for the animals during the nighttime.

Once in the city, the animals are quarantined for at least two to three weeks. Later, they are housed for exporting in compliance with local and international regulations. An air freighter is then hired and once at the airport, the animals receive further scrutiny, this time by the Customs officials, as well as anti-narcotics agents. Once the entire process is satisfied, the animals are flown overseas.
Perry said the process of trading involves the trader being in possession of three licenses; a commercial trade license, a holding station license and an export license. Each is valid for a calendar year and are mandatory, she said.

At the moment there are approximately twenty –one wildlife exporters; some of whom invest in large holding stations for the animals. Since the trade was stopped, several traders have been caring for animals, which Perry noted are very expensive to maintain for the ongoing six-month period.

The exporters usually hold meetings and recently, the passage and subsequent operationalising of the wildlife legislation was discussed. Perry said that she and other exporters are now awaiting the go-ahead to restart their operations, since many persons depend on the trade as a means of an income.

An official of the DoE told the Guyana Chronicle last week that the commission members are expected to be named soon. The signing by Minister Harmon this month would see the commission being able to undertake its mandate, which ensures the body take responsibility for managing the country’s compliance with the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), a pact which has been ratified by Guyana.

The functions of the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission include the granting, amending and cancelling of licences, permits and certificates in respect of activities related to species of wildlife; monitoring and enforcing licences, permits and certificate compliance; determining the annual ‘closed season’ timeframe for the hunting, trapping and trade in species of wild fauna.

The commission will also facilitate, promote and support mechanisms in which local Indigenous villages may participate in the effective protection, conservation, management and sustainable use of wildlife on their titled lands.