Tuesday 28 June 2011

WWF's work on Mount Roraima

Mount Roraima and the work of the WWF



Mount Roraima is part of the Pakaraima Range of mountains in the west-central region of Guyana and is an eastern extension of widespread highland savannahs and rainforests which lie mostly in Venezuela and extends into Suriname and northern Brazil.


The site has some unique bio-geographical characteristics that support its designation as one of the areas identified for protection in Guyana. The area is known for its rich diversity of species and endemism. The mountain tops host some of the highest plant endemism in South America. Birds, reptiles, and amphibians are abundant on the slopes.



There are also a number of indigenous communities in the area. The livelihood activities of the communities depend mainly on hunting, fishing, slash and burn agriculture, and mining.

In October, given the bio-physical uniqueness of the Mount Roraima region and its strong influence on the socio-economic activities and cultural values of the local population of the region, WWF Guianas and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Guyana formed a partnership to undertake preparatory work for the establishment of Mount Roraima as a protected area.


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