Anacondas, giant otters and the world's largest bird of prey proved to be worth more than their weight in gold when dredging for the metal was banned in their forest home, conservationists have said.
The ban on gold dredging in the unspoilt region of Guyana follows a campaign by Amerindian villagers, backed by scientists from the Zoological Society of London.
PhD students Rob Pickles and Niall McCann travelled to the Rewa Head in the South American country to study giant otters and tapirs.
The pair conducted an extensive assessment of the wildlife in the area and are working with conservationists in a bid to win international support for Guyana's plan to turn its forests into the world's largest carbon sink.
The Guyanan government wants financial incentives to keep its forests standing to prevent the release of greenhouse gases.
Conservationists believe the country could be a test case for implementing the "Redd+" ...