THE Environmental Management Consultants (EMC) Foundation earlier this week launched another book in honour of World Otter Day 2025, titled, ‘Ollie the Otter’s River Adventure’, with the aim of promoting the protection of our environment, and education.

The book follows the journey of a curious Giant River Otter named Ollie, who lives in the Mahaica River. He travels from St. Cuthbert’s Mission (Pakuri Village), past Little Biaboo, to the mouth of the Mahaica River in Unity Village. There, he meets other wildlife, and people, and learns about the environment and its inhabitants.

Guyana is home to the Giant River Otter, the largest otter species and one of the largest carnivores in the South American region. Guyana is also one of the last strongholds in the world for this animal thanks to the pioneering conservation efforts by the late Diane McTurk, at the Karanambu Lodge in the North Rupununi.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips who attended the event, posited that the launch celebrates storytelling, through which we can transform meaningful information into knowledge that students can connect with and take forward.

The Prime Minister remarked that by embedding the story of Ollie into our educational system, we are giving our ecosystems a voice and connecting the survival of species to the choices we make as communities and individuals.

PM Phillips stated that this is all part of finding interesting/new ways to embed biodiversity and sustainability into narratives that aim to mobilise our people towards positive action.

“Ollie the Otter’s River Adventures speaks to Guyana’s rich biodiversity by capturing the magic of our forests and the voices of our wildlife. But more importantly, it reminds us of the responsibility we carry to ensure that these stories do not end with us,” the PM said.

The PM spoke extensively about Guyana’s sustainability efforts, saying that since August 2020, the Government of Guyana has been executing a bold vision, rooted in progress and sustainability, the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030.

He said that today, Guyana stands proudly as a global leader in climate and environmental sustainability through the LCDS 2030, which is in alignment with Guyana’s economic growth with climate resilience and the protection of biodiversity.

According to PM Phillips, the LCDS recognises the intrinsic value of Guyana’s ecosystems and places strong emphasis on community-led conservation in environmental education, and the creation of sustainable livelihoods.

He highlighted that one of our country’s most ecologically significant areas, the Mahaica watershed, which is home to rich biodiversity, including the iconic Giant River Otter, while also supporting farming and riverine communities.

The PM said, “The government, our government, is committed to protecting such critical habitats through strong partnerships with civil society, local communities, and international partners.”

Furthermore, it was mentioned that Guyana is set to host the inaugural Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit, which unites global efforts in biodiversity protection through initiatives such as biodiversity credits, green bonds, and debt-for-nature swaps.

At the same time, it champions the global 30 by 30 goal, to conserve at least 30 percent of the world’s land and oceans by 2030.

The PM affirmed that Guyana’s continued investment in environmental awareness, youth empowerment, and conservation efforts demonstrate the nation’s commitment to enhancing our reputation as a biodiversity-rich and environmentally responsible nation.

“We are seizing the opportunity to take responsibility and care for our planet, because a planet cared for means that our children will grow up learning about nature and living in harmony with it,” he remarked.

Ollie the Otter’s River Adventure is authored by EMC Foundation’s Shyam Nokta and Stella Madete. Illustrations were done by Guyanese artist Roberto Teekah, and graphic designer Sheridan Frank.

For more details about the book, persons can visit EMC Foundation on Facebook, and visit its website: https://www.emcfoundation.gy/ollie-the-otters-river-adventures/

To learn more about conservation efforts led by Karanambu, persons can visit https://karanambu.gy/conservation/.