Wildlife Management Commission declares closed hunting seasons for 2020

Dec 23, 2019 News

‘Wild meat’ in Guyana is arguably for some, a definite delicacy, and the demand for forest-based animals that provide it is steadily increasing.

Alona Sankar, Head, Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission

As such, the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) which falls under the purview of the Department of the Environment, has declared a list of dates for the year 2020 when trapping, hunting, wounding, killing or the sale of the various species will be prohibited during the allotted 2020 period.
A closed season is a specific time of the year when hunting of a particular species of animal is prohibited to protect that species. It is usually enforced during the animal’s breeding season. According to the Wildlife Act 2016 the “closed season” shall be determined through “the process of consultation with stakeholders and the conduct of scientific research on the said species…”
As outlined in the notice published by the Commission, they are restrictions set aside for mammals, birds and reptiles.
In relation to mammals, endangerment of kinkajous will be prohibited from April to October; the two-toed sloth in April to December; the lesser anteater from October to December and January to February. Other mammals include deer, monkeys and armadillos.
For reptiles, the prohibited season for the Green Iguana will be from May to July and the Red-footed tortoise will be from April to July. As it relates to birds, the prohibited season for parrots and macaws will be from January to May and throughout December; ducks from April to September; ibises from January to August; and black curassow from January to June and December.
Speaking with Kaieteur News, Director of Monitoring and Compliance, Wildlife Commission, Lemuel Cromwell, stated that the practice of allotting restrictions on export began a few decades ago and continues to be enforced by the Commission.
The Wildlife Conservation and Management Act provides for the protection, conservation, management, sustainable use, internal and external trade of Guyana’s wildlife.
The GWCMC has been continuously working on developing regulations on the hunting, trapping, trade, protection, conservation, management and sustainable use of wildlife, the design, management and operation of wildlife holding premises, the international and local wildlife trade and the development of the licensing process for commercial dealers.