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The Belize Zoo By Leslie Weir A red dirt road turns off the highway in central Belize and enters a forest of coconut palms and white poison wood trees. The wooden archway above the road reads, "The Belize Zoo: A Haven for Animals." The chattering of spider monkeys greets visitors as they enter the tropical savannah of The Belize Zoo. The fecund musky smell of wild pig-like warrees hangs in the moist air. Wise travelers give a wide berth around the tapir's home after reading the hand-painted sign outside his enclosure. "I'm Scotty the tapir. I'm handsome, no true? But you'd better step back cause I might pee on you!!" But, after cautiously watching the tapir's backside, they may turn to find themselves caught in the jewel-like shine of a jaguar's eyes. The Belize Zoo offers a unique place for animals where they behave as they would in the wild. Habitat comes first, and then fences enclose their homes. The zoos creator, Sharon Matola, came to Belize in 1982 to make a documentary on the rain forest. When filming finished, the 17 animals used in the documentary were too tame for release to the forest. She founded the zoo to house these and other native animals that become sick, injured or tamed as poorly chosen household pets. The backyard zoo became a favorite with the native people of Belize, many of whom had never seen the animals that share their country. In order to better reach the local population, the zoo established its Education Department in 1986. The staff hoped to give the people of Belize an understanding of their unique ecosystems and diverse wildlife while teaching valuable skills that would aid in the preservation of Belize's natural resources. The inhabitants of the zoo not only offer entertaining viewing for their guests, but also serve an important role as ambassadors and educators. Pete, the Jabiru stork, is one of the rarest birds in Central America and one of only 50 birds of his kind in Belize. He found refuge at the zoo as a young orphan when a villager shot his parent. But now, as a mature bird, he teaches children the importance of preserving their wetlands. A small flock of Yellow-head Parrots, all stolen from their nests as infants, live at the zoo and teach students the dangers of the pet trade, using humor and a rough-hewn sign that reads "Don't worry. Be happy. We used to sing that tune until somebody came along and took us from our nest and sold us! Yes, Mon! We were nest robbed!! Imagine dat! We parrots believe in 3 things: 1. Don't spit in the wind. 2. Always love your mother. 3. Never nest rob your natural heritage!" The Belize Zoo throws an annual birthday party for its most popular ambassador, April the tapir. Also called the mountain cow, the tapir holds title as Belize's national animal. Every year school children get a memorable lesson in preserving their forests when they celebrate April's birthday by offering her a cake made of horse feed, carrots and hibiscus flowers. More than 10,000 students and 600 teachers take part in the zoos programs every year. The zoo now flourishes as an important educational center with over 125 native animals living on 29 acres of tropical forest. None of these animals came from the wild but each represents its native brothers and sisters living in the forests of Belize. If you would like to help support the educational and preservation efforts at The Belize Zoo check out their web site at www.belizezoo.org or write to: The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center P.O. Box 1787 Belize City, Belize Central America |
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