Back in November, we launched a competition to win a copy of '100 Animals To See Before They Die'. Ted Grant from Hampshire is the first winner. Ted and his wife Julia travelled with us to Guyana in March 2007 and enjoyed amazing luck with wildlife sightings, as their photos and account clearly illustrate!
Sunday 4th March 2007
After two fascinating days at Surama Village, we arose at 04:00 for an early start to see the treetop sights at dawn from the Iwokrama Forest Canopy Walkway. Unfortunately, our transport failed to materialise! After some delay, we teamed up with another British couple, Paul and Sylvia, and travelled in the village minibus, picturesquely named “The Godfather”.
Arriving at around 11:00, after a brief stop to view a Cock of the Rock nesting site, we were warned that this late in the day, there might not be much to see up in the canopy. After a hurried, but much needed breakfast we followed our guides along a forest trail to the accompaniment of the ear-splitting calls of the Screaming Piha.
Ascending the hill to the entrance to the Walkway, we found that it consisted of a series of rope wire suspension foot bridges, connecting platforms built around the trunks of massive forest trees. We were warned that only one person at a time was allowed on each bridge, which swayed and bounced as one walked across.
We were the last across the first bridge and were unable to proceed, because one of the guides ‘froze’ on the bridge, pointing to the right, whilst Paul and Sylvia had their binoculars glued to something in that direction. At last, we were able to cross, to be greeted by the fantastic sight of a huge Harpy Eagle, perched on a branch, about 25 metres away and level with our platform, crest erect and its wicked looking talons locked firmly on the branch. We were able to watch him for several minutes as he virtually posed for our cameras. Then he spread his vast wings and flapped across to another tree, about 100 metres away, but still in good view. After a few more minutes he glided away into the tree tops, leaving the four of us and our guides in a state of high excitement.
After about half an hour in the canopy, we descended and began our short trek back to Atta Rainforest Camp, where we had left “the Godfather”. Suddenly, Paul who was just ahead of us, indicated we should stop and then beckoned us slowly forward. We were just in time to see a puma, the sun shining on its red-gold back, disappear up another forest path. No photo-opportunity here, but a huge thrill nonetheless.
Back at the camp, the warden was equally excited to hear about our sightings and, when we arrived at the Iwokrama Field Station, our home for the next two nights, our fame had spread before us, as “the folks who saw a Harpy Eagle and a Puma!”
Monday 5th March 2007
An early morning boat trip on the Essequibo River. Mist rising from the water and herons and kingfishers of assorted species hunting their prey along the river margins. A large black caiman crocodile slipped off a rock as we approached. Enchanted by our surroundings, we were awakened from our reverie by a sharp cry from the boatman – “Jaguar!” But it wasn’t a jaguar, it was another Puma!
The animal was swimming between a small island and the shore and this time there were photo-opportunities aplenty! We followed the Puma at a distance, but close enough to hear it breathing and blowing bubbles as it swam. Reaching the shore, it turned and glared at us, water streaming off its back, and then shot straight up the vertical mud bank, about five metres high.
Our fame as ‘lucky’ tourists was now truly assured and we had to promise our Iwokrama guide, Ron Allcock, that we would e-mail the photographs – which we did.
Post Script
As we left Iwokrama to travel south once again, we paid another visit to the Canopy Walkway. This time it was at dawn. It was misty and we saw virtually nothing!
Naturetrek visit Guyana on an exciting 17-day holiday in search of the birds, mammals and other natural history amongst the pristine rainforests, rivers and savannah of this unspoiled South American country. To find out more visit the Guyana tour page.