the wildlife with laurel neme feature

Earlier this month, Sharon Matola, founding director of The Belize Zoo, was featured on "The Wildlife with Laurel Neme," - a program that probes the mysteries of the animal world through interviews with scientists and other wildlife investigators. Check it out! You can listen to the full interviews via the links below.

The Wildlife: Belize Zoo & Jaguar Rehabilitation, Sharon Matola, Part 1

The Wildlife: Tapirs & Saving Scarlet Macaws, Sharon Matola, Part 2

Regarding TBZ restoration efforts, Sharon has reported the following . . .

"The Belize Zoo has made great strides forward after the passing of Hurricane Richard in late October, but the road ahead is still long. In the spirit of the Season, if you can find it in your hearts (and pockets) to help the on-going restoration efforts at the Zoo, it would be immensely appreciated. Thank you for your continued support!!"

Grand Re-Opening and Book Launch

[Click on the poster, above, to enlarge.]

From Sharon . . .

Hi all! We will be re opening to a sympathetic group who realize we were demolished less than 6 weeks ago, and that constant on going work is part of the "new look"...good news, too, is that the Prime Minister's wife, Kim, will be giving the kids their scholastic readers!

Rebuilding The Belize Zoo

As you know, Hurricane Richard hit The Belize Zoo hard at the end of October. Check out this video from British Forces News . . . HERE. Please make a donation if you can!

Troops stationed in Belize with the British Army Training Support Unit, BATSUB, have been helping clear up following a hurricane which devastated the country. British Forces News reporter Charlotte Cross reports....

News 7 Belize Coverage

Check out this post-Hurricane Richard news coverage on recovery efforts underway at TBZ!

Hurricane Richard Hits TBZ Hard! Plea for Help!

From Sharon . . .

"This has been the saddest time in all my memory of being in Belize. The attached photos indicate the severity of Hurricane Richard's stop in at the zoo. Please, if TBZ has brought about a bit of joy, hope, and inspiration to your life, please consider making a contribution to our renovation efforts. This can be easily done via our web site, on the front page is a link, under guard by a puma, which allows easy contributions via credit card. Any amount of help is more than appreciated. Zoo is closed, cash flow non-existent, we are suffering."

Please make a donation to the Hurricane Relief Fund online via credit card at:

https://host176.hostmonster.com/~nplhostc/belizezoo/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=145

Junior Buddy: A Jaguar's Tale

Thanks to Nancy for sending this along! Look who is in print!!! Followers of this blog know that Junior Buddy has been featured here several times. He has a special story, and is a very special jaguar!

TBZ is doing a great deal with conservation biology to save and preserve precious biodiversity and animals in Central America (click on the preceding link to learn more about TBZ's jaguar rehab program).

This Scholastic book is available now at barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com, and it will make a great gift, not only for the 4-8 year old set for which it is advertised, but for animal lovers and children at heart everywhere!

Remember to visit The Belize Zoo web site at www.belizezoo.org.

Checking in with Cortland

Sharon recently sent these great photos of Cortland the Margay! Isn't she beautiful? And nothing wrong with her appetite!

The Belize Zoo has recently "remodeled" its web site! Check out the great new format, and be sure to visit often. You will find some excellent new features, such as links to Wild Belize with Sharon Matola, podcasts from the director of the "best little zoo in the world," along with regularly updated Newsletter segments and Messages from the Director. Get all your most up to date TBZ content from the new and improved web site, http://www.belizezoo.org. This blog will occasionally post, so feel free to stop back once in a while. Meanwhile, see you at the ZOO!

Born to be Wild!

From Sharon . . .

What a beauty! And what a lucky beauty this juvenile so-rare-to-see-in Belize, Ornate Hawk Eagle is. During the recent rainy weather, the young raptor was found wet and shivering , sitting in the middle of a road on Yalbac Ranch.

A concerned guard contacted a Hillbank forest ranger who, together with two ornithologists, identified the bird and then brought the young eagle to The Belize Zoo for emergency care. And emergency care was needed! A respiratory problem was immediately detected -- antibiotics, please! And then force-feeding had to happen, to ensure that the youngster received vital nourishment.

The Ornate Hawk Eagle has a fairly wide range, reaching from southern Mexico into the middle of South America. However, as with so many animals, they are extremely rare to find in most of their Central American haunts. The Ornate Hawk Eagle is one of the most beautiful birds of prey in existence. Crested, white and rufous coloured, what a stunning raptor we have here! The females can be up to 50 percent larger than the male Ornate Hawk Eagle, a size trait not uncommon in the raptor world.

What’s for dinner? These large hawk eagles dine on coatis, kinkajous, snakes and rodents. They nest high up in the canopy and their clutch numbers one, maybe two. The juveniles, once fledged, will remain around the nest area for a year, sometimes longer.

We know that this young Ornate Hawk Eagle had not fledged, but exited its nest by some other means. Blown out? Fell out? We will never know, but due to the fact that the “fledge-feathers” had not even appeared, we know that the bird should still have been in the nest, not out of it.

The upcoming plan is to see that the young raptor is kept away from people, and to keep all human contact at a strict minimum. We are doing our very best to prepare this rare beauty for a life in the Belizean wilds. Flying predators contribute greatly towards maintaining a balance within our ecosystems, and ideally, we would like to see this beautiful bird of prey released back into its Belizean home forest. He or She was Born to be Wild!!!

AN AWESOME CONSERVATION CAMP!!

From Sharon . . .

The recent rainy weather did not dampen the spirit of the 17^th Conservation Camp hosted at the zoo. There were 31 campers, ages between 11 and 14. They came from west and central Belize and northern Belize, Orange Walk. Education officers, Celso Poot and Jamal Andrewin saw that the campers had a worthwhile and memorable experience.

The particular “Animal of the Hour” focused upon during the week was the jaguar. A trip to the beautiful Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary gave all a fun look at the lands which support a healthy number of jaguars in Belize. To reinforce what was learned from their Cockscomb visit, a follow up talk from jaguar field researchers, Bart Harmson and Rebecca Foster, provided an even greater meaning to their jungle “walk about”.

And talk about fun! What better way to explore the Jaguar Corridor than to kayak down the Sibun River, which is an important water way within this landscape. While no jaguars were observed during the field trips, a close up and personal view of these mighty cats happened at the zoo. The mega-star, “Junior Buddy” showed all just how intelligent a jaguar really is – “Junior” is three years old and showed the campers that he can indeed count to three.

Jaguar awareness didn’t end with “Junior Buddy”. The campers also learned about the Zoo’s Jaguar Rehabilitation Program. Nothing like this project happens anywhere else in the world, and an overview of the program as well as meeting “Rehab graduate” “Fieldmaster” and giving this beautiful cat a “high five” brought lots of smiles to campers' faces.

The Conservation Campers enjoyed a night tour of the Zoo, and tried their hand at art projects, too. Mr. Jamal also saw that they fit into their busy activity schedule, a project which had the campers doing scientific observations of the zoo animals. The 17^th Conservation Camp was a successful week of fun and education for all.

Coatis are Cool Critters!

From Sharon . . .

COATIS ARE COOL CRITTERS!

We have three species of animals at The Belize Zoo who are all members of the raccoon family. The kinkajou, the raccoon, and the very cool coatimundi, or “coati” are all in the family known as Procyonidae. Their behaviours and attitudes towards life are very different (similar to any family), and the coati is fun to observe.

They are definitely a “gang”, living in fun-loving groups, spending time climbing, rooting in the ground for coati-treats, and at times, anointing themselves with smell-nice things such as sweet-aroma flowers. However, on some days, zoo personnel will share a bit of scent with them, perfume or diluted pine oil makes any coati a very pleased and happy critter. They will vigorously rub scent into their fur, concentrating on their long tails, and even anoint each other, in obvious glee. It is theorized that coatis will communicate with scent, and perhaps this activity adds to their “quash-communication” profiles.

Those long tails are not prehensile. The coati, unlike its nocturnal cousin, the kinkajou, cannot curl its tail around a branch to hang on high up in the tree-tops. They use their tails for balance. At the zoo, there are climbing areas for the coatis, and oftentimes, when they cannot be located on the ground, just look up! Quash are as comfortable high up in a tree, as they are on the ground.

What does a quash like to eat? Just about anything! They very much fit the bill as omnivores, devouring fruits, insects, lizards, and are known ro nest rob eggs, too. The fourteen coatis at the zoo dine on a variety of fruits and dog chow, and this seems to keep them happy and healthy. A contented animal in captivity will usually breed, and this has been the case with our coatis. As with many tropical forest animals, springtime brings youngsters into the world. We carefully manage our captive coati population, as it would not be a good strategy to be over-populated with coatimundis.

In the wild, coati troops can number as high as thirty-five individuals. This is a female-driven society. Young males are allowed to stay in the troop, adult males are booted out. When people report a “single quash” that animal is always a male coati. In Belize we consider the coatimundi to be plentiful, existing in robust populations throughout our nation and in various habitats.

There is value in maintaining healthy populations of coatis in captivity. For future times, it is predicted that efforts will be put forward to restore de-forested areas into forested lands once again. Coatis are important seed dispersers in a tropical forest, they assist in keeping ecological balance.

Most tropical wildlife is active in the evening hours. Many people wandering about in our parks and reserves during the day, fail to see wildlife. But, the coati is one of our species which is diurnal, and often seen by people who visit the “wild” wildlife sanctuaries in Belize. However! If missed in the wild, The Belize Zoo has a happy troop of quash who are always eager to meet and greet visitors.

Remember: The Belize Zoo has recently "remodeled" its web site! Check out the great new format, and be sure to visit often. You will find some excellent new features, such as links to Wild Belize with Sharon Matola, podcasts from the director of the "best little zoo in the world," along with regularly updated Newsletter segments and Messages from the Director. Get all your most up to date TBZ content from the new and improved web site, http://www.belizezoo.org. This blog will occasionally post, so feel free to stop back once in a while. Meanwhile, see you at the ZOO!

Toni the Wowla

From Sharon . . .

MEET NOT-SO-TINY TONI THE WOWLA!

Toni the wowla is a wonderfully mega-awesome addition to The Belize Zoo. Reaching over 8 feet in length, this beautiful boa constrictor is going to add an exciting element to the zoo’s on site education program.

Too often, these harmless snakes are killed, and for no good reason other than they are feared, or misunderstood. Some people incorrectly believe that the boa constrictor is the “mother of all snakes”, and can even give birth to poisonous youngsters. The boa constrictor, our largest species of snake in Belize, growing up to 13 feet in length, is non-venomous. And do they ever love rats!, yes! Nothing pleases a hungry wowla more than squeezing a rat and then having it for dinner. For this natural history habit alone, the boa constrictor deserves a a declaration of thanks from us all. Too many rats can lead to all kinds of problems. We are lucky to have rat-seeking Belizean animals, such as the wowla, to keep our rodent populations in check.

Not-so-Tiny-Toni is a gentle and people-friendly boa constrictor. She will have a special place in the zoo. A large, outdoor wowla-house is going to be her home, and undoubtedly, she will become a popular “must see” for all zoo visitors. Toni loves the water, and to ensure her contentment, zoo staff are busily constructing a pond in her new quarters.Where did she come from? The Belize Zoo maintains a working collaboration with the fabulous up-and-coming Belize Herpetarium, located in Belmopan City. Under the direction of brothers Tony and Joe Garel, this important facility (soon to open), will serve to excite and educate all visitors about the dynamic reptile fauna of Belize. Toni the wowla was a gift from the Belize Herpetarium to The Belize Zoo.

With such a prominent profile, Toni the wowla will hopefully contribute to some important objectives on the Belize Zoo agenda: Let’s not kill our harmless and ecological beneficial boa constrictors. Let’s not promote them as animals to exploit, i.e. allowing them to be caught and eaten for viewers of foreign-based television programs, let’s not see the local media show dead boa constrictors as “curios” for the local viewing audience. These unfortunate incidences have occurred here, and in recent times. The boa constrictor is a special part of our Belizean natural herita walk-away feeling of admiration for all wowlas, is guaranteed.

Remember: The Belize Zoo hasrecently "remodeled" its web site! Check out the great new format, and be sure to visit often. You will find some excellent new features, such as links to Wild Belize with Sharon Matola, podcasts from the director of the "best little zoo in the world," along with regularly updated Newsletter segments and Messages from the Director. Get all your most up to date TBZ content from the new and improved web site, http://www.belizezoo.org. This blog will occasionally post, so feel free to stop back once in a while. Meanwhile, see you at the ZOO!

the lesson of the jaguar!

Check out this recent feature on 7NewsBelize (click on the link) below!

"You could say its got its paws on just about everything in Belize and is probably one of the most intriguing and widely known wildcats of this region, if not the World. It's become so internationally famous and appreciated, that a movement was spawned to protect it by creating what's known as one of the first Jaguar Preserves in the World."

The Lesson of the Jaguar from 7NewsBelize.com!

Remember: The Belize Zoo has recently "remodeled" its web site! Check out the great new format, and be sure to visit often. You will find some excellent new features, such as links to Wild Belize with Sharon Matola, podcasts from the director of the "best little zoo in the world," along with regularly updated Newsletter segments and Messages from the Director.

Get all your most up to date TBZ content from the new and improved web site, http://www.belizezoo.org. This blog will occasionally post, so feel free to stop back once in a while. Meanwhile, see you at the ZOO!

TBZ has a NEW web site!!

The Belize Zoo has recently "remodeled" its web site! Check out the great new format, and be sure to visit often. You will find some excellent new features, such as links to Wild Belize with Sharon Matola, podcasts from the director of the "best little zoo in the world," along with regularly updated Newsletter segments and Messages from the Director.

Get all your most up to date TBZ content from the new and improved web site, http://www.belizezoo.org. This blog will occasionally post, so feel free to stop back once in a while. Meanwhile, see you at the ZOO!

Junior Buddy's 3rd Birthday Bash!

Then . . . and now . . . Junior Buddy the jaguar celebrated his third birthday on Thursday, February 18, 2010, at The Belize Zoo! You can read all about on the Channel 7 News Belize web story, HERE! He has grown into such a handsome jaguar, hasn't he?

Up Close and Personal with the Endangered Scarlet Macaw

It is an unforgettable experience! Visitors to the zoo can now stand mere inches away from one of the rarest birds in the world – the Scarlet Macaw. These two lively youngsters were hatched at the zoo in May 2009. Mom and Dad Macaw lacked the natural knowledge in rearing the babes, so zoo personnel took over that important job.

Next step? A hand-raised Scarlet Macaw is not suitable for release into the wild. In nature, they spend up to two years with the parent birds, learning which trees to feed from, nest in, and how to avoid predators – a complex menu of behavior strategies! It would also be a difficult maneuver to introduce the youngsters to the adult foursome of Scarlet Macaws who reside nearby the zoo’s entry. These are birds who are serious about establishing their territory. And two “fresh faces” would result in some degree of conflict Taking all of this into consideration, Zoo officials worked daily with “Charlie” and “Hilario” and saw to it that they became “visitor friendly”.

Now, Zoo guests, accompanied by a zookeeper, can enter the living space of “Charlie” and “Hilario” and stand close to these beautiful birds, study the colours of their feathers, watch their “sibling interactions”, feed them, and of course, take photos with these two bright red beauties. The Scarlets, used to human companionship since their entry into the world, enjoy the “Close Encounter” as much as their guests, and the event results in happy birds and happy bird-visitors.

Standing next to “Charlie” and “Hilario”, Belizean visitors are often told that, less than 30 years ago, Scarlet Macaws would occasionally be seen flying down the Macal River towards the Hawksworth Bridge! The numbers of Scarlet Macaws in Belize have decreased significantly since those days.

The Chalillo Dam project, which destroyed so much of their important home-habitat, combined with increased poaching of the birds from illegal incursions, has readily guaranteed that the only easy-to-see Scarlet Macaw in Belize, is at the Best Little Zoo in the World. Come and marvel at these amazingly beautiful birds. They love the company!

Belize Harpy Eagle Restoration Program Update #10

BELIZE HARPY EAGLE RESTORATION PROGRAM

From BHERP Coordinator, Sharon Matola. matola@belizezoo.org

The fifteenth Harpy Eagle for release into the forests of Belize arrived to our country from Panama, on Friday 5 December 2009. This five year old male was given the name, “Hope,” and for a good reason. Our release efforts with “Hope” were all tied into the urgent issue of Climate Change. The concept is simple: Reducing the negative impacts of Climate Change can happen if forest habitat is protected. Keeping forests intact cuts down on carbon emissions. Scientific research has repeatedly shown that carbon emissions, over the years, have definitely modified our climate. And not in a positive manner!

So, if we protect, manage and govern these remaining forests, our lives and the lives of our children stand to benefit from such vital and sound strategies. Ensuring that this important habitat remains in a healthy condition will also provide a future in the wild for the magnificent Harpy Eagle. Definitely a “Win-Win” situation!!

Having “Hope” arrive to Belize from Panama presented a hard challenge. The former “Harpy Eagle Express” air carrier recently downsized its aircraft and announced that it would no longer fly live animals. Well, “Hope” fit into that category, and none of our pleas resulted in a change of their “No-Animals-No-More” policy…..it was FedEx Express who came to “Hope’s” rescue!

Believing in the importance of the program, officials from FedEx met and agreed to fly “Hope” from Panama to Guatemala City on a commercial carrier. Then, when “Hope” and his escort, Angel Muela of The Peregrine Fund arrived to Guatemala City, they would board a charter airplane for their final destination: Belize!!

But there was a hurdle to overcome…… The flight kennel carrying “Hope” was unable to fit into the aircraft. What could now happen in order to see that “Hope” travelled onwards to his new home in Belize?

Angel Muela carefully held “Hope” in his lap for the two-hour flight! With a cover over the massive raptor’s head and Angel holding his talons, the unusual crew landed in Belize late on a Friday afternoon. Yes! We were just a little stunned when they climbed out of the aircraft, Angel carrying “Hope” with much concentrated care and attention.

“Hope” then remained quietly in quarantine at The Belize Zoo until his scheduled release on Monday, the 14th of December. Our flying heroes, the Belize Defence Force (BDF) Air wing, under the command of Col. Ganney Dortch, saw that “Hope” and his entourage were flown to Blue Creek. The US Ambassador and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Vinai Thummalapally, the British High Commissioner, Mr. Pat Ashworth, and cinematographers, Richard and Carol Foster, Humberto Wohlers, Animal Management Supervisor at The Belize Zoo, and Belize Harpy Eagle Restoration Program Coordinator, Sharon Matola, all accompanied “Hope” to Blue Creek. A large crowd awaited their arrival.

Edilberto Romero, Director of Programme for Belize (PfB), and top-notch PfB officials, Vladimir and Rudy and even 10 month-old Eddie Romero were among the enthusiastic welcoming committee. Students from the Blue Creek schools were there to greet “Hope”, as was the entire Community Council, led by Mayor Abe Froese.

The USA Ambassador and the British High Commissioner joined together to present a plaque to Mayor Abe, complete with an inscribed image of a Harpy Eagle, thanking the entire community for their support on behalf of this important conservation work. Next came a presentation to Mrs. Daphne Dyck, one of the school principals in Blue Creek. Zoo Environmental Educator, Mr. Jamal Andrewin, presented a framed photo of “Panama” the Harpy Eagle to Mrs. Dyck, thanking her and all of the students for their high-interest in the Belize Harpy Eagle Restoration Program.

Then, off to the release site in Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area! Within the hour, all were positioned for the final and most important part of the day: The release of “Hope” the Harpy Eagle into his new home: The forested landscape of Rio Bravo.

Mayor Abe Froese and PfB’s Eddie Romero together opened the kennel door. “Hope” was out in a flash! He immediately flew up into a nearby tree, and pooped in the direction of the crowd! Then, after seemingly “getting his bearings” for about ten minutes, “Hope” flew off, leaving his very happy well wishers far behind.

Following a most-magnificent luncheon prepared by the Blue Creek Community, all were treated to yet another great event commemorating the day. Skydiver-Supreme-Team , Andy and Colin, flew into the upper atmosphere with ace pilot Abe, and jumped from 5,000 feet to say a HAPPY “HOPE” RELEASE DAY TO ALL!!!

“Hope” the Harpy Eagle will be tracked by satellite telemetry and his whereabouts will be shared with all.

The Belize Harpy Eagle Restoration Program, BHERP, sincerely extends thanks to the following for helping to make the release of “Hope the Harpy Eagle” such a successful event:

- The Government of Belize, Ministry of Natural Resources

- Belize Agriculture/Health Authority, BAHA

- FedEx Express

- The Peregrine Fund

- Programme for Belize and La Milpa field station

- The Belize Defence Force, BDF Airwing

- The entire Community of Blue Creek

- The staff of The Belize Zoo

- The British High Commission

- The United States Embassy

- Cinematographers, Carol and Richard Foster

- Channel 7 and Channel 5 Television/Belize

Angel Muela gingerly transports Hope to TBZ
Hope waits in quarantine off site at TBZ . . . Hope with prison guard escortCarefully boarding the planeAll aboard!Flying over good Harpy habitat . . . Welcoming crew on ground at Blue Creek

Principal Daphne Dyck and TBZ educator Jamal AndrewinMayor Abe Forese accepts plaque from the British High Commissioner and the USA AmbassadorHumberto Wohlers and Harpy Placard for the Ministry of Natural Resources
The release! Hope is free to fly...Hope flew to a nearby tree...Skydivers celebrate the release!Pfb Edilberto Romero and son Eddie