The living world under our feet

Recent discoveries have shown that we need to realise that there are many living things in the earth and rock below us going far down (kilometers) into the earth. Textbook writers take note!

According to a report from the Guardian:

The Earth is far more alive than previously thought, according to “deep life” studies that reveal a rich ecosystem beneath our feet that is almost twice the size of all the world’s oceans.
Despite extreme heat, no light, minuscule nutrition and intense pressure, scientists estimate this subterranean biosphere is teeming with between 15bn and 23bn tonnes of micro-organisms, hundreds of times the combined weight of every human on the planet. 

Some ongoing wildlife research

A very interesting blog by Molly Crookshank who is studying Wildlife Biology and Conservation at Edinburgh Napier University. She has been with a group at Iwokrama through Operation Walacea. Her blog has comments and pictures about wildlife in Guyana.

New Survey Report on the South Rupununi Savannahs

The WWF has released an important new survey report on the savannahs. According to the web site:
"The publication represents the most recent (and potentially, the first) broad-based documentation of floral and faunal diversity in Guyana’s southern Rupununi region, is based on work undertaken in the Kusad Mountain and Parabara areas. "

It can be downloaded from the same web page shown above. It is full of amazing pictures, maps and introduces the biodiversity idea using local examples. Just what is needed in schools.

Flock of scarlet ibis

One of my daughters took this picture of a flock of scarlet ibis at MonRepos, ECD.

Gecko breakfast

A gecko came for breakfast the other day - in fact it often comes if I leave my cereal bowl at the end of the table. Clearly they are able to learn from experience.

Looks like the same variety as mentioned previously.

If you look closely you can see its pink tongue (see second picture below).

Biodiversity in the Rupununi

An expedition to two localities in the Rupununi by World Wildlife Fund and Global Wildlife Conservation during late 2013 from did a comprehensive survey of biodiversity.  Their first report has now been released and consists of 97 pages.

"Preliminary results indicate 241 species of plants, 302 birds, 150 species of fish, 34 reptiles, 25 amphibians, 23 small mammals and over 300 species of insects were encountered during the two week expedition."

Also see this very readable write-up of this in Caribbean Beat. Plus there is this Guyana Times report from a local perspective.

Rupunini explorers

In October a team of scientists and students headed into the Rupunini. According to this report by Dr.

Andrew Short of the University of Kansas the aim was to:

'to conduct a rapid biological assessment of the Rupununi Savannah, a sprawling tropical grassland peppered with rock outcroppings and forested mountains.'

This first report describes their plans.

A followup report describes their trip inland and starting work. Dr Short comments:

'Over the next two weeks, we'll sample rivers, streams, and lakes across the southern Rupununi. Combined with the data gathered by the water quality and fish teams, we can generate a holistic picture of the health of the region's watershed.'

Hopefully there will be another report soon.

A determined thrush

 Despite several attempts to dissuade it this bird kept trying to nest inside our kitchen. Because of the climate there are always open windows or vents which it can use to come in. It did give up eventually. Cruel I know but poop all over the wares was not on.

Identifying it was a bit difficult as there are several similar birds however I believe it was a Black-billed Thrush.

Guyana woodpecker

One of my daughters caught this picture of a woodpecker in our backyard on the mango tree.

It looks like either the Crimson-crested Woodpecker or the Lineated Woodpecker. Mostly likely the former.

Good thing it was not eating the mangoes... it is welcome to the bugs. Thanks Wikipedia!

Our friendly local gecko

Here is a picture of one of our 'house geckos' caught on a window pane.

These geckos are common in houses here and eat many mosquitos and other bugs.

Sometimes one waits on the outside of our mosquito net at night for dinner to arrive. At other times one lurks under a couch and runs out to pounce on a mosquito sitting on my foot - I try not jump when it runs over my foot...

They lay small white eggs, may be 4 or 5, in some corner such as an open box or drawer. They seem to fit the description of the 'common house gecko'.

Caves in Guyana

Are there any caves in Guyana? Very few it seems which is not too surprising given the lack of suitable geology.

There is one cave under Kaieteur Falls.

There are also a few caves in the Roraima area (see picture) including one called the Oil Bird Cave. I am not sure if all these are in Guyana.

Note: there seems to be several caves called Oil Bird Cave. Oil Birds live in colonies in caves in this part of the world.

Links
http://www.wilderness-explorers.com/guyvenez.htm
http://www.mathiaskessler.com/island-of-time-roraima/index.html