The Project
Volunteer on Wildlife Projects in Belize

GVI works in partnership with a small multi-facetted, non-profit, conservation organisation, who are based in northern Belize. The programmes centre on practical conservation, environmental education, conservation-related research and sustainable development.

In partnership with the Fireburn Community, our local partners have established the 1,800 acre Fireburn Reserve. The Fireburn Reserve encompasses a rich mosaic of forest and wetland habitats, which are home to all five of Belize’s wild cats, tapir, almost 200 species of birds (and still counting), and 65 species of reptiles and amphibians. Fireburn is the first step in the development of Belize’s NE biological corridor, aimed to provide connectivity between Belize’s protected areas and help maintain the country’s rich biodiversity. Just a few miles away, Wildtracks has established the Balam Na Reserve (411 acres), which functions as an important stepping stone for wildlife movements along the corridor.

Environmental education of Belizean schoolchildren is a core activity within the management and development of the Fireburn Reserve, along with a variety of community development projects. Research projects to date have included some of the highest resolution habitat mapping in the country, radio-telemetry on fer-de-lance snakes (examining habitat use and seasonal movements), and the mapping of leaf-cutting ant nest densities in a variety of habitats. Current research includes the monitoring of mammal activity within the biological corridor, and upcoming projects include the collection of baseline data on bats within the area (in an extension of a Wildlife Conservation Society regional project), and the evaluation of jaguar numbers and movements within the biological corridor (an extension of another WCS research project).

Wildtracks is also the base for the Manatee Rehabilitation Programme, which raises orphaned manatees for release into the wild. Following the successful rearing of a male calf at Wildtracks and his successful release at Gales Point in 2001, Belize’s first two female orphaned calves are growing rapidly and are scheduled for release in July 2005. Unfortunately, a by-product of Belize’s rapidly growing tourism industry is the likely increase in boat collisions with manatees, meaning that more manatee calves will need the facilities provided at Wildtracks.

The Wildtracks Outreach Programme is directed principally towards the local children of Sarteneja. Wildtracks works successfully with young people, emphasising the need for knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the environment, and careful sustainable use of natural resources. This is tackled through an environmental education programme at upper primary level in local schools.

Project Targets

Ongoing:

• Wildlife monitoring programme for Fireburn Reserve and associated Balam Na Reserve
• Mammal distribution mapping within Fireburn Reserve and Balam Na
• GIS ground-truthing of ecosystems within Fireburn Reserve and Balam Na
• Wildtracks Outreach Programme – conservation education at upper primary school level, in local schools
• Manatee rehabilitation programme (two manatee calves in programme at present)
• Bat monitoring project at Wildtracks, Fireburn and Balam Na, in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society
• Assisting Gales Point community groups with protection of nesting turtle beaches.

Upcoming projects:

• Monitoring jaguar populations in the Northeast Biological Corridor area, in collaboration with Wildlife Conservation Society.
• Baseline survey of vertebrate life and water parameters of Shipstern Lagoon
• Development of management plan for Fireburn Reserve and Balam Na Reserve
• Release of present manatee calves into Gales Point Manatee Sanctuary lagoon system in July 2005
• Assisting community group in Sarteneja to develop co-management plan and activities for Corozal Bay Manatee Sanctuary.

Belize Audubon Society:

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1986 and is world-renowned for being the first jaguar reserve. This ‘one of a kind’ reserve was established due to the findings of a jaguar study conducted in the area by the Wildlife Conservation Society, which indicated a healthy jaguar population within Cockscomb. Besides being the home to Belize’s largest cat, the sanctuary protects the headwaters of two major river systems and supports an abundance of broadleaf forest types and a diverse faunal assemblage.

Approximately 127,000 acres of lush jungle are ringed by the spectacular Cockscomb Mountains. The wonders and diversity are accessible to both the casual visitor and the serious naturalist through a series of nature trails. These trails vary in degrees of difficulty, ranging from an easy hour-long stroll along the river to a four-day challenge of conquering Victoria Peak. The sanctuary is home to all five of Belize’s cats: Jaguar, Puma Margay, Jaguarundi and Ocelot. It is estimated that over 40 jaguars are resident in the area.

Goals:

• To maintain biodiversity, cultural resources and watershed areas within a functional conservation area, as an integral part of the National Protected Areas System
• To provide an enabling environment for economic opportunities for local communities and society, working towards sustainable development
• To engender greater public support, public awareness and participation
• To develop Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary as a nationally and internationally known research site
• To strive towards a greater level of economic sustainability through the expansion and further development of tourism, compatible with biodiversity
• To contribute towards the environmental services provided by conservation areas – clean air, clean water and climate change amelioration.

Half Moon Caye/Blue Hole Natural Monuments:

The crystal-clear waters, abundant marine life and unspoiled coral reef make Half Moon Caye an ideal location for snorkelling and diving. The Caye is located at the Southeast corner of Lighthouse Reef Atoll, the outermost of Belize’s three coral atolls, and some 50 miles southeast of Belize City. The 45 acres are divided into two distinct areas: the dense guano rich littoral forest, which has an impressive seabird nesting colony, and the ‘paradise island’ coconut palm beach. The white sandy beaches where turtles come up to nest are the ultimate spot for soaking in the sun.

Half Moon Caye was the first protected area in Belize and the first marine protected area in Central America. A small area of the island was first established as a Crown Reserve in 1928 to protect the colony of Red Footed Boobies that nest on the island.

Only a short distance from Half Moon Caye is the Blue Hole – a breathtaking diving spot where you can have the diving trip of a lifetime. The Great Blue Hole lies within the Atoll’s lagoon, about 8km north of Half Moon Caye Natural Monument. This large, almost circular sinkhole has a diameter of approximately 320 metres and a maximum depth of 125 metres. Jacques Cousteau studied this underwater cave in the late 60’s.

The Blue Hole has a unique geological history and formation, and as a result, like Half Moon Caye, the Blue Hole was added to the World Heritage sites list in March 1996. Blue Hole natural monument covers an area of approximately 3,000 acres and consists of the Great Blue Hole, surrounding coral patch reef and shallow seagrass lagoon.

Goals:

• To protect and preserve nationally significant natural features of special interest or unique characteristics to provide opportunities for interpretation, education, research, and public appreciation
• Provide recreation, research and education opportunities for Belizeans and international visitors, in a manner that is compatible with the natural environment
• Retain in perpetuity a portion of the Lighthouse Reef Atoll ecosystem in order to maintain its biological diversity
• To promote and facilitate the research and environmental monitoring necessary to accomplish the previous goals in the optimal manner
• Develop the mechanisms necessary for ensuring long-term financial sustainability of the monument.

Institute of Archaeology

The Institute of Archaeology is dedicated to the research, protection, preservation, and sustainable management of Belize's cultural and archaeological resources.

Parks, Planning, Marketing and Operations Programme

The objectives of this programme focus directly on the sustainable development and effective management of any archaeological site in Belize, and include:

• The preservation and protection of ancient monuments and antiquities
• To maintain a management presence to secure the reserve against illegal logging, harvesting and poaching of wildlife
• To improve visitor experience within our archaeological reserves
• To work toward self-sustainability.

Caracol Archaeological Reserve

Rediscovered in the 1930’s, Caracol is known to have been one of the most important civic-ceremonial centres of the ancient Maya in Belize. Elaborate wall carvings and towering temples, intricate stellae and what must have once been bustling plazas and causeways all now lie surrounded by tropical forest. Tall trees bearing branches of epiphytes and long tangles of lianas provide a majestic background to this once-powerful city. The forest is alive with birdlife, including toucans, parrots, oropendolas and many more, which sound out in colour and song. Even scarlet macaws can sometimes be seen from the top of Caana – the ‘sky palace’ – which overlooks a vast vista of tropical forest that stretches from the plateau.

The Institute of Archaeology has just completed extensive reconsolidation of the site, and greatly improved access. Work now concentrates on protection and management. Researchers from the University of Central Florida have been studying the site since 1985, and are developing a wealth of information on the people who once lived there.

Lamanai Archaeological Reserve

The archaeological site of Lamanai is situated in a 950-acre tropical forest reserve. Whilst not the biggest site in Belize, it is a constant favourite with visitors. Anyone who visits the reserve find the forest trails and wildlife an excellent addition to the impressive, recently reconsolidated Maya structures, with their carved stellae and stucco masks. Lamanai is located on the bank of New River Lagoon, part of the New River system, with an array of associated species – the water birds such as jacanas and jabiru storks, the crocodiles from which Lamanai gets its name (being the Maya for ‘submerged crocodile’), and even an occasional manatee that has ventured up the river.

This is a site that was chosen for reconsolidation in 2003, with work just having been completed. The focus of the wardens is now primarily on protection and management, especially with the increased visitor numbers who arrive by boat each week to explore the area.