Mc Turk concerned about drop in visitors to Karanambu

By Samuel Sukhnandan

After working for over 25 years with otters and educating people about the worth of the endangered animal, Diane Mc Turk said her message has finally been heard. The octogenarian believes that people locally and internationally now better understand the importance of giant otters to the world’s ecosystem. “I’ve actually got through with the message, but I am not getting a lot of new otters to look after,” Mc Turk stated.

Mc Turk said she is much more pleased that people have a better appreciation for her work with otters.

She believes that this, has allowed changes in the way they view this specie, which would in turn reflect a reduction in the danger they face. People still use otters’ skin to make fur for jackets, like they do with other animals like tigers, bears, foxes, rabbits and other animals with fury skin. With the increasing threat of this specie becoming extinct, otters are now being protected by law in some countries.

The “otter woman”, as she is called, explained that while she still takes care of some giant otters, she believes that they are changing their territory. “With the uneven weather now, they tend to go and come back. The last set left last month and while they would usually come back after the water is low, they haven’t yet done so,” she stated.

Mc Turk sees her work with giant otters as a personal commitment, and confirmed this by saying that she plans to continue working towards ensuring that they are protected.

Mc Turk, however, noted her disappointment with the fact that not too many Guyanese visit her settlement, Karanambu, located in the North Rupununi.

The “otter woman” receives small donations from an Otter Sanctuary in England, and from visitors, who stop by to explore nature in the Rupununi Region.

“We have relatively few Guyanese which is actually sad for us,” Mc Turk told this newspaper. The otter expert said she would like to see more locals visiting, since most of the visitors come from Europe.

Mc Turk said her settlement contains six cabins, six beds and could expand with hammocks. She plans to continue her work and wants youths to carry on her work, but said this could only be done if more Guyanese are educated about otters. While there have not been any major donations to the Karanambu Trust, Mc Turk and her family have been maintaining their work with otters over the years. The trust is, however, in need of more financial support to carry on this work for years to come.

Diane McTurk was born at Karanambu soon after her pioneer father Tiny McTurk established a cattle ranch there. Tiny was also a naturalist and his daughter learned to appreciate the region’s extraordinary flora and fauna at an early age. After attending the Wychwood School in Oxford, England, she moved to London to work in the hospitality business for the Savoy Group.

In 1966, McTurk returned to Guyana to celebrate the country’s independence. She subsequently became the press officer for the Guyana Sugar Producers Association. She moved back to England briefly and worked in corporate public relations before returning to her Rupununi roots in 1976.

In 1983, McTurk opened her home to eco-tourists. She also offered refuge to injured or orphaned wildlife. Sadly, the animals often affected were the giant otter. By necessity, McTurk became a world expert on the care and rehabilitation of this species.

She has raised more than 40 orphaned otter cubs, returning most of them to the wild for a chance at freedom. In 1997, McTurk, with the support of her family, established the Karanambu Trust as a private charity.