The Karanambu Trust
Ensuring the sustainable use of the Karanambu Wetlands for all who live there -- fish, fisherman, otters, lilies, and more.
The Environment: Wetlands
The wetlands of the North Rupununi in southwestern Guyana are extraordinarily beautiful. During the dry season, fish-filled ponds dot the savannah. Birds, Monkeys, and sunbathing Iguanas visit the trees along the Rupununi River while Capybara and Jaguar leave their tracks on the sandbanks. But everything changes when it rains. Small creeks turn into streams, ponds into lakes, and roads into mud. Water moves everywhere, and so do the animals.
The Animals: Fish, Giant Otters, and More
There may be over 600 species of fish in the North Rupununi freshwater ecosystem—more than anywhere else on Earth! Indeed, fish are the primary food source for an incredible array of animals, ranging from Hawks and Herons to endangered species like the Giant River Turtle, Black Caiman, Jaguar, Giant Anteater, Scarlet Macaw, Spider Monkey, and Giant Otter. Unfortunately, human activities such as hunting/trapping and habitat destruction threaten their survival.
The Plants: Hundreds of Species
The high number of animal species at Karanambu reflects high plant diversity as well. The flora of the Rupununi includes plants from both the Amazonian basin and the Guiana shield.
The People: Fishers, Farmers, Ranchers, and Tourists
Only a few hundred people live on, or near, Karanambu. Most are Makushi Amerindians who farm small plots of land and fish by canoe or motorboat. Each year, dozens of tourists and adventure travelers visit what is still known as the “hinterland” of Guyana to experience its unique culture.
Karanambu: Car-a-NAM-bo
Karanambu was once a working cattle ranch. It is now an ecotourist destination known as Karanambu Lodge. It is also the home of Diane McTurk, conservationist and world-renowned expert on giant otters. Karanambu encompasses 125-square miles of savanna, marshy ponds, riparian forest, and a 40-mile stretch of the Rupununi River. Visitors to the lodge enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the wetlands, as well as Diane’s warm hospitality. The experience is also a true nature adventure: wildlife watching, fishing, walking and close encounters with orphaned Giant Otters.
The Karanambu Trust
The Karanambu Trust is a private charity established by the McTurk family in 1997. Its mission is to ensure the sustainable use of the Karanambu Wetlands through wildlife and habitat conservation, research, and education in partnership with local communities.
Diane McTurk
Diane is the visionary behind the Trust. She has worked tirelessly to promote both conservation and sustainable development in the North Rupununi ever since she raised her first orphaned giant otter cub in 1984. Most were captured illegally by fisherman and kept as pets until their screams for fish grew too loud. Though Diane treasures her waterdogs, as they are called in Guyana, she hopes the activities of the Trust will ultimately put an end to her rehabilitation program. The best place for her beloved beasts is in the wild.
The wetlands of the North Rupununi in southwestern Guyana are extraordinarily beautiful. During the dry season, fish-filled ponds dot the savannah. Birds, Monkeys, and sunbathing Iguanas visit the trees along the Rupununi River while Capybara and Jaguar leave their tracks on the sandbanks. But everything changes when it rains. Small creeks turn into streams, ponds into lakes, and roads into mud. Water moves everywhere, and so do the animals.
The Animals: Fish, Giant Otters, and More
There may be over 600 species of fish in the North Rupununi freshwater ecosystem—more than anywhere else on Earth! Indeed, fish are the primary food source for an incredible array of animals, ranging from Hawks and Herons to endangered species like the Giant River Turtle, Black Caiman, Jaguar, Giant Anteater, Scarlet Macaw, Spider Monkey, and Giant Otter. Unfortunately, human activities such as hunting/trapping and habitat destruction threaten their survival.
The Plants: Hundreds of Species
The high number of animal species at Karanambu reflects high plant diversity as well. The flora of the Rupununi includes plants from both the Amazonian basin and the Guiana shield.
The People: Fishers, Farmers, Ranchers, and Tourists
Only a few hundred people live on, or near, Karanambu. Most are Makushi Amerindians who farm small plots of land and fish by canoe or motorboat. Each year, dozens of tourists and adventure travelers visit what is still known as the “hinterland” of Guyana to experience its unique culture.
Karanambu: Car-a-NAM-bo
Karanambu was once a working cattle ranch. It is now an ecotourist destination known as Karanambu Lodge. It is also the home of Diane McTurk, conservationist and world-renowned expert on giant otters. Karanambu encompasses 125-square miles of savanna, marshy ponds, riparian forest, and a 40-mile stretch of the Rupununi River. Visitors to the lodge enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the wetlands, as well as Diane’s warm hospitality. The experience is also a true nature adventure: wildlife watching, fishing, walking and close encounters with orphaned Giant Otters.
The Karanambu Trust
The Karanambu Trust is a private charity established by the McTurk family in 1997. Its mission is to ensure the sustainable use of the Karanambu Wetlands through wildlife and habitat conservation, research, and education in partnership with local communities.
Diane McTurk
Diane is the visionary behind the Trust. She has worked tirelessly to promote both conservation and sustainable development in the North Rupununi ever since she raised her first orphaned giant otter cub in 1984. Most were captured illegally by fisherman and kept as pets until their screams for fish grew too loud. Though Diane treasures her waterdogs, as they are called in Guyana, she hopes the activities of the Trust will ultimately put an end to her rehabilitation program. The best place for her beloved beasts is in the wild.
