JAMES Campbell was recently in the limelight for the role he played in the Reel Guyana documentary titled “Releasing the Giants: Saving Guyana’s endangered arapaima” as being one of the lead persons who was instrumental in saving more than 60 arapaimas that were trapped in drying ponds, lagoons, lakes and other body of shallow water.

James is a local of Apoteri Village, an Amerindian settlement in the northern part of Guyana located in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Essequibo) between the Essequibo and Rupununi Rivers and it has a population of about 370 residents.

As a native of Apoteri Village, James told the Sunday Chronicle that he has no desire to relocate since he has lived there all his life and enjoy the simplicity of residing in a community that is far-flung and has the potential to become a tourism destination apart from sport-fishing which is the major attraction.

James stated that Apoteri Village is accessible via river or trail which is 65 kilometers from the city via the Lethem Road. A native, born and bred in the village, he is a Community Conservationist, Community Policing Group (CPG) Chairperson, and the Chairman for the village tourism.

He related that economically things are a bit slow in Apoteri Village and they depend on sport-fishing tourism to bring in an income but some locals also fish, hunt and cultivate cassava, banana and pumpkin to earn.

The father of seven emphasised his role as a resource person in Apoteri Village, where he actively engages in initiatives to improve the lives of the community members. Campbell stated that he will continue to collaborate with others to rescue and rehabilitate arapaimas trapped in shallow waters, ensuring their safe return to the river to protect their population.

He noted that the recent wildfire significantly damaged the rainforest, forcing wildlife to move closer to the village in search of food and shelter. While Campbell reported that the fire has somewhat subsided, some areas are still smoldering, which continues to impact the local wildlife and biodiversity.

He told the Sunday Chronicle that the rescue of the arapaimas is a combined effort and is no easy feat since they have to operate in a timely well-orchestrated manner to preserve the lives of the fishes. He said that Apoteri Village, under the guidance of Toshao Ozias James, will continue to develop.

In addition to his deep involvement in the community tourism of Apoteri Village, Campbell is knowledgeable about tropical fish, particularly exotic aquarium species, and offers valuable hands-on insights into their characteristics.
He is also actively engaged in volunteer work within the village, working with local youth to educate them on the rescue of arapaimas.

James has managed to train a group 16-year-old school children as part of the collective rescue effort of trapped arapaimas in the dry spell that is currently affecting both animals and people across the country. The humid weather conditions, void of rainfall has created an unprecedented heatwave, much higher than usual and it is affecting humans, animals and crops.

James shared with the Sunday Chronicle that they are engaged in various conservation and community development projects, but they often struggle to secure the financial support needed to bring many of these initiatives to fruition.

He described the ongoing dry spell as unpredictable, severely impacting local wildlife, especially monkeys, which are now seen staggering under the extreme heat in search of food and water, increasingly approaching residential areas in Apoteri.

The conservationist reported that a fire has been raging in the forest since March, destroying large sections of the previously undisturbed rainforest, with even the birds feeling the effects.

As a resident of Apoteri Village, James is committed to preserving the lives of animals, fish, and other wildlife, but he acknowledges that the community’s efforts have their limits.

He is calling for partnerships to sustain conservation initiatives in the area. Having lived alongside these animals for so long, he finds it heartbreaking to witness the impact of climate change on their lives.

“We know the importance of wildlife and biodiversity because we reside in a natural nature setting and their contributions to our everyday life is vital and we would like the animals to remain endangered and live in their natural habitat without disturbance and suffering,” he said.