Above left : Redtailed Boa ( Boa constrictor ). Below left : Redfooted Tortoise ( Chelonoidis carbonarius ). Right : breeding pen for Red- and Yellowfooted Tortoises located behind the Eco-lodge . Images by Vickie Lillo .
fascination with these animals . The glossy flecks of crimson stippling its front and rear legs remind me of gaudy nail polish , as do the garish golden specks atop its head . Damon balances the concave plastron of the tortoise in the palm of his hand , and affectionately strokes its bony carapace before continuing . “ We are trying to breed these two species of South American tortoises here at the lodge because many tribesmen still eat them , not understanding that they grow slowly and reproduce poorly . This habit will lead to eversmaller numbers of these species on our territory . As it is , I suspect what they are finding now are specimens that have wandered in from off the tribal lands .”
Since our visit , Ayonto Hororo Ecolodge has rescued and tamed an orphaned baby Ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis ); perhaps she might pad softly into your room in the middle of the night ! Additionally , the Lokono Amerindians are in the process of building a series of terrariums at the hostel , to house and showcase the dozens of naturally-occurring species of reptiles on the reservation .
‘ Living Gold ’ at Kaieteur Falls . The 13-seater Cessna Caravan carries us over an unbroken blanket of green – endless acres of Amazonian trees – with just a sliver of road momentarily discernible during the flight . Our destination is a remote corner of the Guiana Shield ( the geological formation encompassing Guyana , Suriname , French Guiana and parts of Venezuela , Colombia and Brazil ). Without warning , the forest parts to allow us a glimpse of Kaieteur Falls , where the Potaro River cascades like thunder into a chasm 741 feet ( 226 metres ) below .
Around us , gigantic tank bromeliads proliferate ; their close-knit leaves efficiently trapping water and nutrients and relieving them of the need for a conventional root system . Bromeliads may have originated in the highlands of the Guyana Shield , which is home to the most primitive genus of these plants .
“ Look down inside there ,” our tour guide , Amerindian park ranger Thomas Williams instructs .
“ It ’ s supposed to be a type of poison dart frog . But a scientist licked one and said it wasn ’ t toxic .”
We peel back the overlapping leaves of the bromeliad he indicates to observe the reservoir of water at its base ; a single Golden Rocket Frog ( Anomaloglossus beebei ) seeks refuge amongst the stalks . Endemic to the Kaieteur Plateau , and with a life cycle that is entirely dependent on the giant bromeliad Brocchinia micrantha , the tiny amphibian with the gilded skin , full grown , only measures half an inch long ( 1.25cm ). Thomas explains , “ It ’ s supposed to be a type of poison dart frog . But right now , there ’ s a debate going on about whether or not it ’ s poisonous to the touch . Apparently , in some new study , a scientist actually licked one , and said it wasn ’ t toxic .”
I think I ’ ll just have to take that on faith . Bromeliads and the natural reservoirs they contain provide habitat for many different species of frogs , together with salamanders , crustaceans and an array of invertebrates .