The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) successfully hosted its awareness and sensitisation training session on the Environmentally Sensitive Species (ESS) on June 24 at the EMA's Head Office in St Clair.
In attendance were members of the EMA's Environmental Police Unit, game wardens, representatives from the Fisheries Division and Forestry Division and T&T Police (TTPS) officers from the Mayaro, Toco and Matelot regions.
The training session featured presentations by the EMA, including an educational overview of the piping guan or pawi bird and other environmentally sensitive species, and legislative provisions for the protection of the pawi.
Richard Sorrillo, game warden II of the Forestry Division, delivered a presentation on rules and enforcement regarding wildlife and stressed the need to increase fines for contraventions against the Conservation of Wildlife Act.
The latter half of the training facilitated an interactive session where attendees presented on various scenarios incorporating enforcement of the ESS Legislation.
Constable Steve Seepersad, a game warden for the past 22 years and TTPS officer, was present and shared his experience in arresting four people over the weekend who were found in possession of three tortoises.
He highlighted the importance of all stakeholders networking closely to reduce illegal activities involving wild animals, citing the challenge of monitoring the southern coastline for illegal animals entering various ports of entry from South America.
Ag managing director Gayatri Badri Maharaj reiterated the importance of hosting continuous sensitisation sessions with members of the TTPS.
"We need to continuously sensitise our public on the protection of our ESS species.
They are invaluable assets to our biodiversity and tourism product; therefore it is imperative that together we work assiduously to transform the attitudes of citizens."
This training session is one component of a larger sensitisation project for the pawi involving various stakeholders. The EMA will be working towards strengthening the co-ordination efforts with the Biodiversity Advisory Committee (BAC) and Stakeholder Management Committee (SMC).
�2 The pawi, an endangered species, was designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Species (ESS) in 2005 and is endemic to Trinidad. There are approximately less than 200 birds left in the wild and this species continues to face natural and human threats.