Belize Zoo Adventure

Every Child Should Visit the Zoo

multiple times during their lifetime, and Belize Zoo is no exception.

ROMEN'S ADVENTURE

Today we are going on a Belize Zoo Adventure.  We started our day by stopping at Neri's Tacos for breakfast.  We then caught the 6:00am boat ferry from Ambergris Caye to the mainland, arriving 7:30am.  All the kids were loaded onto a bus, and off they went - headed for the Belize Zoo.

Traveling today to the Belize Zoo.  Here I am with Teacher Marina. 

Belize Zoo is about a 40-50
minute drive from the boat terminal

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What Can You Expect To See At

As of July 2022, the Belize Zoo has over 200 animals under its care.  All animals found at the Belize Zoo are indigenous to Belize.

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Reptiles & Amphibians

Reptiles and Amphibians of Belize - The exact number of reptiles and amphibians is unknown as it is often difficult to study these two groups due to their habitats. To date there is approximately 139 species of reptiles and amphibians recorded in Belize, with 62 of those being snakes.

What makes a reptile?
Reptiles are back-boned animals covered with scales. They lay shelled eggs similar to birds, or keep the eggs inside their bodies till they hatch. Reptiles are grouped into turtles, crocodiles, snakes and lizards.

What makes an amphibian?
Amphibians are back-boned animals that  have smooth, thin skin and require water to keep their bodies moist. They can be found under rocks, alongside streams, in swamps and marshes; places which are not the most comfortable for humans. This group includes salamanders and frogs.

Reptiles, unlike amphibians, are not restricted to wet habitats because they have scales. Snakes and lizards can be found in any habitat, from the soil and leaf litter of the forest floor, to the upper canopy of the rainforest, and the mangrove forests of the coastline and Cayes of Belize.

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Belize Mammals

What makes a mammal?
There are over 40,000 mammals on planet Earth, some live on land and others in water, but they all share certain characteristics. Mammals are a group of animals with vertebrae or backbone, and their bodies are covered with hair. Mammals also produce milk which allows them to nurse their young and spend a lot of time with them as they are growing up. Mammals are endothermic or warm-blooded, which means that they can regulate their own body temperature. This is the group of animals which humans belong to.

Belize has approximately 145 species of mammals living within its boundaries. Mammals exist within all the different habitats of Belize, from the manatee and dolphins of the coastal zone, to the 5 different species of wildcats which live deep within our lush broadleaf forests.

The wild mammals of Belize tend to be very secretive and mostly nocturnal. This makes them extremely difficult to see. They usually see, hear, or smell you long before you know they are near by. Forest dwelling mammals do not stand out in the open for easy viewing, but instead climb through the canopy or scurry over the forest floor well ahead of you. That is one reason the Belize Zoo is such a special place. Here you can see many of the mammals found in Belize's forests.

A visit to The Zoo is the best way to get an introduction to the mammals of Belize, and to understand why it is important to protect the habitats that sustain them. Here at the Zoo you get a chance to get up close and personal with Belize's National Animal, the Central American Tapir. As you walk around the Zoo you will see spider monkeys, white-tailed deer, coatimundis, white-lipped peccaries, and Belize's five wildcat species. You can even give a jaguar a "high five" by doing a Jaguar Encounter.

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Belize Birds

How Big is a Harpy Eagle?

They are 3 feet tall, have a wingspan of 6.5 feet, and talons the size of a grizzly bear.

This photo will help you appreciate the immense size of a "Harpy Eagle"

What makes a bird?
Birds are a group of winged, two-legged animals that also have a backbone just like mammals. They are warm blooded like mammals, but do not have hair on their bodies; instead they have feathers. All birds lay eggs and most of them incubate the eggs with their warm, fluffy bodies.

Belize supports over 580 species of birds. This includes both resident and migratory species. Birds thrive in all of Belize's habitats. Wading birds congregate along the coastline and inner lagoons. The grasslands and savannas provide seeds for the many finches, and hunting grounds for keen-eyed soaring raptors. Tall emergent trees provide nesting sites for giant birds such as the Harpy Eagle and Jabiru Stork. In our tropical forests there is an astonishing diversity of birds, such as parrots, toucans, mot mots and others.

Watching birds in the tropical forests of Belize can be difficult at times, but extremely rewarding for birders. The thick vegetation, and the typical behavior of quick, seemingly random movements of many forest birds, make them often difficult to see. Many birds also live in the upper canopy of the forest, making it a strain to be constantly looking upward. Often times we hear but do not get to see them.  However, early morning and late afternoon are excellent times to bird watch, as most bird species are feeding or moving to new locations during these times.

The Belize Zoo has always had a strong collection of bird species, from parrots such as scarlet macaws, to vultures and hawks, and wading birds, including the iconic Jabiru Stork. A part from birds in enclosures the habitat around the zoo supports a variety of wild birds, that come and go when they chose to. For another up close experience you can do a Toucan Encounter with "Runt" our ambassador Keel-billed toucan.

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16 Years Difference

In 2006 I took the kids on a similar Zoo Adventure.  Trent was 9, Christina was 6, Lauren was 1 year old).  Each time, it was a wonderful experience.  The first picture (2022) is Romen (5 years old) standing in front of a photo of Steve Irwin (& Belize Zoo Founder Sharon Matola).  In the next picture (2006), is Trent (9 years old) standing in front of the same photo of Steve Irwin (& Sharon Matola). They've since painted the wall, as you don't see all the graphitti.

Romen - June 2022 (5 years old)

Trent - March 2006 (9 years old)

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As Always..........

Missing You Jaymin

Did you see the spider monkey Romen? 

Jaymin & Romen - 2017

Jaymin & Romen - 2017

Asked Marcy if she wanted to go to this same spot (at the Zoo) and take a photo of her & Romen (2022)?  "No (she said), it's not the same without Jaymin".

This ends our great adventure at the Belize Zoo.   You were in our minds & hearts Jaymin, and we will forever miss you.