Location: Potaro- Siparuni
Area: 1 million acres
Elevation: 0- 3,281 ft (0- 1,000 m)
Iwokrama Forest is a forested area of approximately 3,710 km²
in central Guyana, in the heart of the Guiana Shield, and one of
the "Four last pristine tropical rainforests" in the world along
with the Congo Basin, New Guinea and the Amazon Basin. The area
is an important ecological transition zone in terms of rainfall,
landforms, human settlement, and biological communities.
Geography
The area extends at its greatest extent 85 km west
to east and the greatest distance north to south is 80 km (50
mi). The Georgetown–Lethem Road bisects the forest for
approximately 72 km between the Northeast and South borders.
Overall, the area lies in the coordinate grid between 4° and 5°
north latitude and 58.5° and 59.5° west longitude.
Iwokrama Forest is bordered on the west by the Sierra Pacaraima
and on the east by the isolated mountain ranges scattered across
eastern Guyana. Savannah country follows in the south-west, as
well as in the north-east of Guyana and in south-west Suriname.
The Essequibo forms the eastern border. The northern limit is
the Siparuni. The Rio Burro-Burro runs through the center of the
area and has most of its drainage basin within these boundaries.
The area is covered with lowland rainforest and is
characterized by a high closed canopy of 20 to 30 m in height.
The Iwokrama Mountains, at an elevation of approximately 1000 m
(3,300 ft), form the geographic center of the area. In the past,
they served as a "retreat" for the Macushi people. The Iwokrama
International Center for Rain Forest Conservation and
Development and the forest are named after it.
Ecology
The ecosystem of the Iwokrama Forest arises from the mixture of
flora and fauna elements from Amazonia and Guiana. Therefore,
there is a high biodiversity and numerous animal species that
are threatened with extinction in large areas or are already
extinct, such as the giant anteater.
Iwokrama Forest has
the highest biodiversity of fish (more than 420 species
described so far) and bats (90) by area of any other place in
the world. There are also more than 500 species of birds.
Iwokrama has been classified as a biodiversity hotspot for
several plant families, including Lecythidaceae and
Chrysobalanaceae.
The birds
Iwokrama Forest has a large number of bird species:
Trumpet Agami (Scientific name: Psophia crepitans);
The hocco Alector
(Scientific name: Crax alector), threatened;
The Helmeted Tyrant
(Scientific name: Lophotriccus galeatus), not threatened;
The Piauhau
Howler (Scientific name: Lipaugus vociferans), not threatened;
The
white-rumped barbacou (Scientific name: Chelidoptera tenebrosa), not
threatened.
The mammals
The most common mammals:
The
Brazilian tapir (Scientific name: Tapirus terrestris);
Red daguet
(Scientific name: Mazama americana);
The jaguar (Scientific name:
Panthera onca);
The Giant Otter (scientific name: Pteronura
brasiliensis).