Sloths, other animals being traded from Mabaruma in breach of closed season

Dear Editor,

The Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) recently posted online the closed seasons for wildlife in Guyana. The post stated that the trapping, killing, hunting, wounding, and sale of selected species is prohibited during the following periods:

Sloths: From April 1st, 2020 to December 31, 2020;

Tufted Capuchins: May 1st, 2020 to December 31, 2020.

Others (see GWCMC online post).

The GWCMC post went on to say that any person engaging in the trade of these and other species will be liable to pay a fine of $750,000 to $2,000,000, and imprisonment up to 3 years.

On April 9th, 2020 (8 days into the closed season) at the Transport & Harbours Stelling, Water St., Georgetown, approximately 12 sloths and other wildlife were seen arriving on the boat from Mabaruma. Pictures were posted on Facebook by Andrew Campbell and the Wildlife Commission was notified.

On the morning of Wednesday, May 13th, 2020 (42 days into the closed season for sloths) I received a distressing call from an animal lover, Andrew Campbell, informing me that he was at Transport & Harbours Stelling and had just witnessed sloths and other wildlife being offloaded from a boat that just arrived from Mabaruma. I immediately called the Wildlife Emergency cell number (6488839) but by the time the authorities arrived at the wharf the wildlife had been picked up.

With the season for capturing and sale of wildlife closed for many species, how is it that multiple boxes and cages of wildlife can be openly stacked at the Kumaka Wharf, loaded and transported on Government Boats, and off-loaded onto a public wharf in Georgetown, without being detected by authorities?

Since the Guyana Livestock Development Authority Officer in Mabaruma is required to issue a health permit for all wildlife transported from Mabaruma, why did the Captain of the boat not alert GLDA?

Why did the boat Captain not alert management authorities of Transport and Harbours in Georgetown since T&H are required to notify the Wildlife Commission (GWCMC)?

Does GWCMC have protocols in place that inform best procedures for rapid communication of suspected smuggler activities?

While I disapprove of the Wildlife trade in general, I do not criticize the activities of registered traders who follow the rules and treat animals humanly. However, those who break the rules and treat animals inhumanly should be held accountable to the full extent of the law.

Yours faithfully, Syeada Manbodh