a watery sanctuary

TIMES INT'L

The Mazaruni River is a tributary of the Essequibo River in northern Guyana. Its source is in the remote western forests of the Pakaraima Mountains, and its confluence, with the Cuyuni River, is near Bartica.
The Roraima plateau is also the source of the Mazaruni River. The Mazaruni River drops down from each Roraima plateau through three steep sided canyons with many picturesque falls and creeks.

A serene section of the Mazaruni River (Photo by Cody H)
A serene section of the Mazaruni River (Photo by Cody H)

 

Mazaruni River rapids
Mazaruni River rapids

 

Mazaruni River at Aruwai Falls (Photo by Cody H)
Mazaruni River at Aruwai Falls (Photo by Cody H)

 

Early sunset over the jungle canopy, a view from near Olive Creek on the Mazaruni River (Photo by Cody H)
Early sunset over the jungle canopy, a view from near Olive Creek on the Mazaruni River (Photo by Cody H)

It also flows over three distinct habitats: the flat tops of Roraima plateau, known as “tepuis”, the lower two plateaus and the low lands. Each habitat is characterized by its own vegetation.
The habitats are fantastic lands of rain swept sandstone eroded into forms with exotic plants and savannahs with bands of canopy jungle where beautiful orchids are found.
The iron hydroxide stained brown waters of Mazaruni are home to many fish species. The most abundant are the large and dangerous black electric eels (numfish), piry (relative of piranha cutleback), haimara, and baiara. However, the most famous fish is lau-lau, with specimens weighing up to 200 kg.
Mazaruni River waters are also home to the largest water snake, the anaconda, known locally as “water kamudi”; large herds of wild pigs – peccaries, sometimes in large groups of a few hundred, live on swampy flats of the Mazaruni River.
Many monkeys, of which the howling monkey is the noisiest, inhabit tree tops, sharing the space with many types of birds. Pairs of red, yellow and blue macaws add to the kaleidoscope of life at the Mazaruni River.

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