The Incalculable Value of Wildlife
The animals and plants that live in the wild have an intrinsic value and contribute to the ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aesthetic aspects of human well-being and sustainable development. World Wildlife Day was celebrated in 2018 under the theme “Big cats: predators under threat”.
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, in his message pointed out that the solution to saving big cats and other threatened and endangered species is conservation policy based on sound science and the rule of law. “It must also give full consideration to the needs of local people. When local communities and economies benefit from wildlife conservation, strategies are much more likely to succeed,” he said.
Big cats are keystone species. Protecting them also protects the vast landscapes they inhabit and the wide variety of life they harbour. It is a gateway to protecting entire ecosystems that are crucial to our planet’s health.
World Wildlife Day is used as an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that conservation provides to people. At the same time, the Day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and human induced reduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts. Given these various negative effects, Sustainable Development Goal #15 focuses on halting biodiversity loss.
Big cats are among the most widely recognized and admired animals across the globe. However, today these charismatic predators are facing many and varied threats, which are mostly caused by human activities. Overall, their populations are declining at a disturbing rate due to loss of habitat and prey, conflicts with people, poaching and illegal trade. For example, tiger populations plummeted by 95% over the past 100 years and African lion populations dropped by 40% in just 20 years. But a range of measures are underway to arrest this decline.
In an effort to reach as wide an audience as possible, the expanded definition of big cats is being used, which includes not only lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar — the 4 largest wild cats that can roar – but also cheetah, snow leopard, puma, clouded leopard, etc. Big cat species are found in Africa, Asia, and North, Central and South America, representing a virtually global distribution, and representations of big cats, such as for car logos, by sporting clubs and the fashion industry, are used globally.
According to the United Nations (UN), over the past century we have been losing big cats, the planet’s most majestic predators, at an alarming rate. World Wildlife Day 2018 provided the opportunity to raise awareness about their plight and to galvanize support for the many global and national actions that are underway to save these iconic species. Through World Wildlife Day big cats will generate the level of attention they all deserve to be sure they are with us for generations to come.
Guyana’s wildcats Six of the 36 wildcat species that exist in the world roam the largely pristine forest and natural corridors that exist in Guyana.
• Jaguarondi (Puma yagouaroundi) also known as the Eyra or Otter cat.
The body of jaguarondi is covered with uniformly coloured fur. Depending on the habitat, colour of the fur can be reddish, grayish or black to brownish. Unlike many other South American cats, jaguarondi spends majority of time on the ground, usually in dense vegetation or heavy bushes. They are very vocal animals producing 13 different sounds for communication and can jump 6.5 feet in the air to catch a flying bird. Jaguarondi is a mainly diurnal (active during the day) animal.
• Margay (Lepardus wiedii), also known as the Tree Ocelot, Climbing Ocelot, Little Ocelot or Tigrillo.
Margay’s fur can be grayish to cinnamon in colour. It is covered with black-ringed rosettes. They have large eyes adapted to night vision since they are nocturnal (active at night). They can survive less than 10 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity. Unlike other cats, margay is able to move down the tree, with its head going before its feet. This is possible because it has flexible ankles of the front feet that can be rotated for 180 degrees.
• Oncilla (Lepardus tigrinus), also known as the Little Spotted Cat, Tigrillo, Tiger Cat or Little Tiger Cat
The body of an oncilla is covered with beautiful fur that can be tan or ochre in colour. Upper side of the body is covered with dark rosettes while the lower side is pale and contains a few spots. Its tail is covered with black rings and ends with black tip. One fifth of all oncillas are completely black. Young animals produce a unique purring sound, while adult animals produce a gurgling sound when they meet each other. Oncilla is active at twilight (crepuscular animal) and night (nocturnal animal).
• Jaguar (Panthera onca), also known as the Tiger, Pouss, Turtle Tiger
Jaguars are the largest of South America’s big cats. Most jaguars are tan or orange with distinctive black spots, dubbed “rosettes” because they are shaped like roses. Some jaguars are so dark they appear to be spotless, though their markings can be seen on closer inspection.
• Puma (Puma concolor) also known as the Cougar, Panther, Mountain Lion, Red Tiger, or Deer Tiger
The Puma is the fifth heaviest of wildcats after the lion, leopard, jaguar and tiger. They have a plain coloured fur ranging from tawny to silver grey or reddish brown with lighter patches on their underparts including the jaws, chin and throat. The name of a male is referred to simply as a ‘Puma’, while the female is referred to as a ‘she-Puma’ and the young are called ‘cubs’.
•Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) also known as the Tigrillo, Painted Leopard, Hagtiger, or Dwarf Leopard.
The Ocelot is much larger than its cousins the Margay and the Oncilla, although they bear a striking resemblance. Twice the size of the average house cat, the ocelot is a sleek animal with a gorgeous dappled coat. These largely nocturnal cats use keen sight and hearing to hunt rabbits, rodents, iguanas, fish, and frogs. They also take to the trees and stalk monkeys or birds.
It is important to note that all wild cats in Guyana are protected in accordance with the Third Schedule of the Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations (WMCR) 2013. Therefore, trapping, killing or injuring of these animals is a crime that is punishable by law.
Guyana will also join the rest of the world in celebrating International Day of Forests (IDF), on March 21st, 2018. The global theme is , ‘Forests for sustainable cities,’ and will focus on how forests and trees in urban areas regulate temperature and water flows, provide nutritious foods and shelter, cleanse the air and foster community cohesion and individual well-being, among other benefits. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
