Mount Roraima – South America's ‘Lost World’

Discovered one hundred and twenty five years ago, Mount Roraima rises like an immense fortress above the clouds, towering above the rainforest below. The first explorers who reached the summit of the plateau returned with a plethora of new plant and animal species, and affirmed that no area of equal size has ever yielded greater botanical and zoological discoveries as Roraima. This statement remains true today, as ongoing exploration has revealed that up to 70% of the plant and animal life found on South America's tablelands is endemic, and up to 35% of all species occur only on a single mountain top and are found nowhere else on Earth. This is one of the greatest concentrations of unique life found anywhere on the planet and organisations who support this initiative will be taking part in a remarkable CSR project that goes far beyond reducing your carbon footprint.

But it is not only the diversity of life found here. The so called ‘lost worlds’ are also home to ancient ‘living fossils’ found nowhere else on Earth. Many plants and animals have remained isolated atop Roraima and neighbouring plateaus and have remained little changed for millions of years. Many of the ferns, cycads, toads, carnivorous plants and arthropods are identical or most similar to extinct fossils than anything else surviving in South America or the rest of the world today. Without corporate sponsorship this unique assemblage of life will struggle to survive.

The threats:

(i) Increasing, unregulated tourism

• (ii) Lack of infrastructure to support sustainable tourism and minimise damage to the area
• (iii) Introduction of foreign plant and animal species, which threatens the delicate and ancient assemblages of life of the lost world
• (iv) Displacement of Roraima’s unique plants and animals.

The overriding objective of The Lost World Project is to provide financial and logistical support to organisations that are based in the region to help the conservation effort. For example, the funds raised will be used to provide the basic infrastructure and training to assist local guides to manage tourism responsibly and sustainably. By raising awareness about the urgent conservation needs of Mount Roraima through the documentary we will look to ensure a future for this remarkable region.