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Photo credit Kirk Smock

Diane McTurk

Karanambu Ranch, once a bustling cattle ranch in the northern Rupununi Savannah, is now widely known for owner Diane McTurk’s efforts rehabilitating orphaned Giant River Otters. Her unique passion, which has garnered the attention of the BBC, Wild Things, Jeff Corwin, and National Geographic, offers an interesting backdrop to the plentiful birding opportunities.

The nearby woodland patches are home to Spotted Puffbirds, Striped Woodcreepers, and Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manikins, and during the rainy season nearby Crane Pond becomes a natural nursery filled with Great and White Egret, Little and Great Blue Heron, Boat-billed Herons, Anhinga and others. Additional water birds found in the area include Agami Heron, Sunbittern, Jabiru and Wood Stork, Rufouscent Tiger Heron, Cocoi Heron, Capped Heron, Green Ibis and Black Skimmers. There are also Cappuchinbird and Manikin leks. Bearded Tachuri, Burrowing Owls and ten species of Nightjars can be found on the nearby air runway.

The keen eyes of Karanambu’s Amerindian guides amaze many guests, especially as they increase your chances of seeing Giant Armadillo and Giant River Otter in the wild, and the Rupununi River’s large population of Black Caiman adds an interesting twist to birding. And watching the giant Victoria Amazonica water lilies open at dusk while listening to Diane’s many enchanting tales of life at Karanambu and drinking her famous rum punch is an unparalleled experience.

Until you can make it to Karanambu to be regaled by Diane yourself, she was kind enough to take some time out of her busy days spent caring for otters and looking after Karanambu’s guests to answer a few questions.

Where in Guyana were you born? Karanambu, although my birth certificate mystifyingly attributes this event to Tumatumari.

How did growing up at Karanambu and in the Rupununi affect your love of nature? By osmosis, I assume. I once said that as a child, I ran wild in paradise. After a pause my questioner persisted, “Apart from running wild in paradise, what did you do?” Which brings me to your next query…

Can you describe a typical day from your childhood? There were no typical days. My memories are of climbing trees, swimming in the river, riding horses, cherishing any little creature (wild or tame), spending afternoons soaking in a warm cattle trough with my sister, Connie, and Little Andrew (our Amerindian nursemaid’s son) and defying the cattle to come and drink.

You also spent some time living in England; how long and what you were doing there? My nearly 30 years in England were spent at boarding school, drama school, and at casual jobs in order to earn enough to indulge in European holidays during the irresponsible years. Later, I worked in public relations. In London, I worked longest for the Savoy Group of hotels, and in Georgetown for the Guyana Sugar Producers’ Association.

What made you decide to return to Karanambu to reside permanently? I had no talent for acting and my best role was played out in real life as a smart urban Londoner. When I realized that under the gloss there lurked a committed Rupununi woman, I headed back to my roots.

How long have you been working with otters? How did you get involved with that work? I have never worked with otters. I’ve harbored, cherished, and reared them for their return to the wild. I received my first otter named frankincense for a kingly gift at Christmastime in December 1985. Since then more than 40 otters have been offered to me for adoption – initially as orphans resulting from the pelt trade, and more recently as runts abandoned in family group conflict and pets with which the owners can no longer cope. They rehabilitate themselves in their own time. The best scenario is that the young animals are accepted into an established otter family as the equivalent of teenage au pairs helping to bring up the current litter before being expelled by the dominant pair in the next year once they reach maturity.

In your opinion, what makes Karanambu such a special place for birds? A variety of habitat. Karanambu is situated in the flood plain where river, savanna, forest, and swamp meet in a watershed area between the Amazon and Essequibo river systems.

What are some of your favorite birds and animals to spot in the field, and do you prefer rainy or dry season? The dry season roads can be traveled by boat through the flood forest in the wet season when the water birds are nesting in a nearby ponds sheeted by Victoria Amazonica water lilies. Highlight birds include: Boat-billed Herons; Black-crowned Night-Herons; Great Egrets; Cocoi Herons; Neotropic Comorants; Anhingas; Purple Gallinules; Wattled Jacanas; Donacobius; and Yellow-rumped Caciques.

I especially enjoy the time between seasons when the creeks are rising or falling and more unusual birds can be spotted (e.g., Agami Heron). Most neotropical mammals are nocturnal (I saw my first Jaguar after 27 years in the Rupununi) but Capybara and Monkeys are more usually seen on the riverbanks in the dry season when Black Caiman are numerous. Howler Monkeys can be heard throughout the year. Admittedly I would say the wet season would probably be my favorite were it not for the proliferation of insects.

I always enjoy the rush of excitement of spotting exotic birds and mammals. But my favorite birds are relatively common. I like Swallow-winged Puffbirds, Black Skimmers and Green-tailed Jacamar. I also like Swallow-tailed Kite for their graceful flight. I like Trogons and Vermilion Flycatchers for their beautiful colors. I like everything actually.

Are there any birds that you haven’t spotted yet, but would like to? I would love to see the Harpy Eagle better and more often. I’ve seen it flashing across a river only having enough time to ask, “What was that?”

Can you tell us about the Karanambu Land Trust and your current conservation initiatives and any future plans? My future plans remain the same as when it first started in the mid 1990s, which are the following: 1.) Environmental conservation; 2.) Wildlife preservation; 3.) Alternative means of livelihood for the indigenous population, which is now in a stage of transition.

Would you like to end with any words on tourism in Guyana and any results you have seen from the Birding Tourism Program? The GTA-USAID/GTIS frontline approach to the development of tourism that is focused on promoting Guyana as a birding and wildlife destination is providing great opportunities for those involved in tourism. It has allowed locals to transfer their skills to sustainable work within tourism and the resulting development will show economic advantages in the years to come.