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The Zoo is located around 30 miles west of Belize City on the Western Highway. The Zoo is gradually become a refuge and rehabilitation center for injured wildlife, and abused and abandoned "pets", where they are kept in their natural setting. |
The Zoo is open daily, except on Good Friday and Christmas Day, from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The nominal admission fee of US$5 is used to support the facility and all of the associated education programs.
Mountain Pine Ridge
The Mountain Pine Ridge is 300 square miles of forest reserve that is south of the Western Highway in the Cayo District. You can reach the reserve via the Chiquibul Road from Georgeville or via the Cristo Rey Road from Santa Elena Town, just east of San Ignacio Town. The Mountain Pine Ridge is home to the Hidden Valley Falls, the Rio On River, the Rio Pools, and the Rio Frio Cave and Nature Trail, as well as numerous small streams and waterfalls.
Half Moon Caye Natural Monument
Half Moon Caye is located at the southeast corner of Lighthouse Reef Atoll, and was established to protect the Red-footed Booby bird, the Magnificent Frigate bird and the Red-footed Booby that coexist here. Nearly hundred species of birds have been recorded on the Caye and the majority of these are migrants.
Migratory species include Ospreys, Mangrove Warblers, and White-crowned Pigeons. The iguana, the Wish Willy, and the lizard also inhabit this area. The waters surrounding Half Moon Caye are abundant with marine life, and thus are ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife & Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
The entrance to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Maya Centre, at Mile 15 of the Southern Highway in the Stann Creek District. The reserve headquarters are located some 6 1/2 miles west of the visitors' entrance. Situated at the foothills of the Maya Mountains, the sanctuary covers around 100,000 acres of tropical moist forest, rising from 300 feet above sea level to approximately 3675 feet at the summit of Victoria Peak. Originally established in 1984 as a reserve to protect a large jaguar population, the sanctuary is also known as " The Jaguar Preserve". The sanctuary is also home to numerous other species of the cat family, mammals and other wildlife, and birds that support the food chain. You can spot an occasional jaguar, many herbivorous animals, and a multitude of birds amidst lush tropical flora.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is located thirty-miles northwest of Belize City off of the Northern Highway and is a home for resident and migrant birds. The sanctuary consists of a large network of inland lagoons, swamps and waterways, and provides abundant food sources and the safe resting area to a large and diverse bird population. The most notable migratory resident is the Jabiru Stork, which is the largest flying bird in North America with a wingspan of 10-12 feet and they arrive in November to nest in the lowland pine savannahs.
Blue Hole, Community Baboon Sanctuary, & Rio Bravo Conservation
Blue Hole National Park
The popular Blue Hole National Park is located twelve miles southeast of Belmopan on the Hummingbird Highway. The park covers around 575 acres and contains primary and secondary forests that are home to many native birds and animals and a rich cross-section of flora.
The national park receives its name from the beautiful sapphire blue pool that is around twenty-five feet deep. Water can be seen emerging here from a collapsed karst sinkhole, from where it flows along its way to a tributary to the Sibun River. The stream runs through a natural jungle setting and disappears into a large underwater cavern. St. Herman's Cave is also located within boundaries of the reserve. This cave assumes archaeological importance due to the Maya presence here during the Classic Period. Pottery vessels, spears, and torches are among some of the artifacts that have been recovered by the Department of Archaeology. Exploring these fascinating caves proves to be quite an adventurous experience.
Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area
The Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area is located in the northwest corner of Belize in the Orange Walk District and consists of 202,000 acres, managed for conservation, scientific research, sustained-yield timber harvesting, nontimber forest product extraction, ecotourism, and educational purposes. The area consists of broadleaf forest, swamp forest, palm forest, savannah, and marsh.
It is also a habitat for many endangered species like Black Howler Monkeys, Central American Spider Monkeys, Jaguars, Pumas, Ocelots, Margays, Jaguarundis, Tapirs, Peccarys, Ocellated Turkeys, Brocket Deer, and over 355 species of birds. In addition to this abundance in nature, over forty Maya Ruins have been discovered within the RBCMA.
Community Baboon Sanctuary
The Community Baboon Sanctuary on the banks of the Belize River is located some thirty miles west of Belize City off the Northern Highway. Consisting of some eighteen square miles of subsistence farms, the sanctuary exhibits the necessity of preserving the habitat to insure a healthy population of Black Howler Monkeys. A small natural history museum and visitor's center has been erected in Bermudian Landing, which is the most central location in the sanctuary. A guide is required before following any of the trails, as most of the sanctuary is privately owned.
