Beauty in Belize

It's been over a week since I returned from Belize. I am now able to contemplate some of the beauty and wonder I found in Belize, though I am not yet ready to process and share the darker side. It's percolating in a post about the Unseen. 

Entrance of Cahal Pech Resort.

At the hotel where we were staying, the Cahal Pech Resort, flowers abounded.  Here is a photo collage of some of the best beautiful images.....

In the morning, the trees would drop coconuts.  Here's one, looking like a fuzzy flower.

Hibiscus

Fragrant fragrant flower.

Hibiscus flower

Ginger Flower.

Branch of bananas with flower at end.

A banana flower!

View of San Ignacio from our cabin.

The teredactyl sprays water into the pool during the hot months.  Right now it just looks like it is smoking a cigarette!

Everywhere, people use Y branches to make fences, screens, and coverings. 

Plumeria

View at sunset. Surreally beautiful.

The Belize Zoo Tour

At the end of my week in Belize (more on that to follow in future posts), I arranged a trip to the Belize Zoo on our way back to the airport.  I was in Belize for work, so this was one of my only "touristy" adventures, besides my trip to the Saturday Market (Mercado) and the Mayan ruins right next door to our hotel.     

The Belize Zoo was an important visit for me because Jay and I both read The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, which is about Sharon Matola's fight against a dam.  Sharon is the woman who created the Belize Zoo, so the book includes a lot of information about the zoo and the collection of native Belizian animals that live in the zoo. Each animal has a story of rescue, and each animal would not be alive if it weren't for the zoo and Sharon's efforts. Sharon's right-hand-man at the Zoo is Tony, and he was our tour guide!!!   Here is a Lonely Planet review of the zoo:  Belize Zoo Background. The zoo exceeded my expectations.  What follows is a virtual tour of the zoo. Enjoy!!

A little shrine of books....

The whole zoo is in the jungle.   I think that's why the animals are so happy. They live in their jungle, with its temperature, moisture, sounds, smells. They are home.

The Zoo Education Center

West Indian Manatee skeleton.

Balboa the 10-year-old Boa Constrictor

Tony headed to get the little boa.....

I meet Balboa.

Balboa is beautiful and wonderful.  He wrapped my wrist like a bracelet with his tail.

The King Vulture

The vulture is in there somewhere....

Just had to go around the corner. There he/she is!

Hello King Vulture!

Follow the Paths, the Myriad Paths....

The path into the zoo....

Throughout the zoo, hand painted signs abound.  Many rhyme. All are educational.

 The Kinkajou

Lured out with a banana....  This mammal is nocturnal.

 Poem About Hurricane Richard.....

The Belize White-Tailed Deer

Yes, the deer really stay in this short fence.   That makes me think they are very happy.

The male deer was sterilized the wrong time of year, and its horns grow like this as a result....

Tapirs!  Central American Tapirs!!

April the Tapir's skeleton.

April lived a long life. One of the longest lived Tapir's in captivity.

Tapirs are related to Rhinos and Horses.

Tempting a tapir with a tapered carrot....

Tapir tenderly takes the carrot.

Tapir munching carrot in background....

Story of the baby tapir, adopted by a Belize Zoo tapir mom.

Adopted tapir on the left, good mom tapir on the right.  Tapirs have great prehensile noses. They remind me of Berhwood and Giovanna!

 Blue Crown Mot-Mot

Check out the way cool bob of a blue tail!

  Ornate Hawk Eagle

Talk about a regal bird.....

Black Spider Monkey Family

Tony talking about spider monkeys.

Far in the tree, see the monkeys?

Posing for pictures.

They came close for treats.

Moving through the jungle....Walk this way....

Pathway to the next area. The whole place is a jungle....

Scarlet Macaws

Facts about the Dam that flooded Macaw nesting grounds.

Turtles and Crocodiles...

Pathway to the pond and turtles.....

Tony sprinkled some dog kibble in the pond, and suddenly there were many turtles!!!

Pathways Through the Jungle....

Where to next?

Pacas

Didn't get to see the Pacas. They must have been sleeping, too!

The Keel Billed Toucan

A chair to sit and watch the toucans.

Posing pair.

Feeding Raisins to Toucans!

 The Aracaris (Belizian Toucan)

Feeding the Aracaris a raisin!

Yum, yum.

Ocelot, the Small Spotted Cat

Tony leading the way to the Ocelot.

 

Tree near Ocelot, with vine winding up the trunk. Way cool.

From above.  This ocelot is about 2 years old, and will be about 30 pounds when full grown.

Growling loudly, it's this cat's purr.  More chicken?

 Black Howler Monkeys

 

Family in the distance.

Coming down for a treat.

Mama with baby, very new baby, hanging on.

We howler monkeys deserve our name!  Hey!  Of the six species of howlers, ours is the most rare!  What do we like to eat?  Leaves, leaves, leaves. Just leave us leaves!

Puma "Red Tiger"

Coming through the brush to see Tony.

Looking at the chicken that accidently landed on the electric fence. Weighing the options...  Tony flicked it off with a stick before he launched.

Check out the paws!

 Collared Pecccaries

herd sleeping in the distance.

Herd going for the scattered treats.

Look our for the newborns!!  Two 2-day-old baby peccaries in amongst the adults.

Can not get enough of these peccaries!  Way cute. Both babies are in this picture.

 Pathways and Signs....

Where should we go next?

 Agouti, the Belize Rabbit

The agoutis were sleeping....

 Lucky Boy the Black Jaguar

Lucky's Story.  A very lucky jaguar, indeed.

Doing the "high 5" for chicken.

Looking sleek and regal. This is a special cage we are in, that is next to Lucky Boy's pen.

Chewing Chicken.

Japanese Lantern Flower

So beautiful, hanging in the path.  We wondered, what is this flower?

Ah, of course, there's a sign!

Runt the Ambassador Toucan

Runt eyes the raisin with his one good eye.

Posing while chewing.

Posing with Runt, who is eyeing for another raisin....

 The Margay was sleeping.....

Tayra the Bushdog

The bushdog is related to the weasel.

 

Junior Buddy the Jaguar

Junior Buddy looking for chicken.

Born to a rescued mom, who then rejected him, Junior was raised in captivity by the Belize Zoo.

Jaguar food

Junior Buddy's story.....

Junior Buddy's mom and friend jaguar.

Junior following Tony.

 Harpy Eagles!!!!

Panama the Harpy Eagle

 Great Curassow

 Common Black Hawk

Was not able to see this hawk....

 
Coatimundi, the Tree Sausages....

There it is snuggled in the crook of a tree.

Once you know what to look for, they are everywhere!

Here's a rare blond coatamundi, sleeping on the ground. A ground sausage!

 Barn Owls

There they are, looking like bats in their cave.

 Spotted Owls

We've been "eyed" by the owl....

 Mottled Owl

This owl was hiding too well for us!

 Yellow Headed Amazon Parrots

Like the parrot, Lelu, that Pat and I used to babysit long, long ago....

 That concludes our tour!  

I signed the guest book!