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Belize Zoo Belize Zoo

Discussion in 'Belize' started by Chlidonias, 19 Nov 2008.

  1. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    there's nothing new in this story about Belize Zoo but it is a recent press item and there's nothing about the zoo on the forum yet, so here it is (there are some videos on the link too)
    A Belize zoo: Tapirs, vultures and jaguars...oh my! - allDAY - msnbc.com
    Belize Zoo website Tropical Zoo, educational tours, Belize!
     
  2. Hix

    Hix Wildlife Enthusiast and Lover of Islands 15+ year member Premium Member

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    When Matola was working on the documentary, all those years ago, a lot of the animals were kept on the property of the film-maker (forgotten his name). They built large studios around the native vegetation so they could film the animals in "realistic" environments.

    When filming was complete, the film-maker wanted to just release the animals. Many were tame, so Matola decided to use them to start the zoo. The zoo was, for many years, on the film-maker's property (he'd gone back to the States or Europe and didn't live there anymore). In the early 90's the zoo moved to a new site across the road.

    In the early days Matola painted all the signs and labels in the zoo on whatever she coud find, because there was virtually no money to run the zoo.

    The Baird's Tapir, Belize's National Animal, was known colloquially as the Bushcow, and superstition told how they would come into your home at night and - using their proboscis - would suck your brains while you slept. Another reason why she wanted to educate the children. Despite having no money, all school groups visiting the zoo got free entry.

    I haven't been to the zoo since 1990, so I imagine lots of things have changed since then.

    Some of the photo's I've uploaded to the gallery illustrate how tough times were in the early days. The Morelets Crocodile pool, for instance, has a wooden fence to stop people from getting too close. The fence was only about 40 feet long, and in a modern zoo in Australia/USA/Europe you would have a continual stream of people walking around the fence, or going under or over it.

    :)

    Hix
     
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  3. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Youtube video in which Sharon Matola tells about the founding and history of the zoo :

     
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  4. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    The zoo's founder and director, Sharon Matola, passed away. :(
     
  5. Hix

    Hix Wildlife Enthusiast and Lover of Islands 15+ year member Premium Member

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  6. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Sad news indeed.

    Met Sharon once (very nice person) and been to Belize zoo.

    Have to say though I thought it was extremely overhyped and more of a sanctuary than a zoo.

    I think that Zoomat ( Zoológico Miguel Álvarez del Toro) in neighbouring Mexico (would recommend zoochatters considering ecotourism in the region to give Belize a miss and focus instead on Mexico and Guatemala) is 1000 times the zoo that Belize zoo is and whatsmore actually contributes to ex-situ conservation.
     
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  7. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Sad news.
     
  8. Sarus Crane

    Sarus Crane Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Can't find any extra info on this. When did this happen? It says on Reddit it was posted a year ago.

    Jabiru Stork Incident
     
  9. MonkeyBat

    MonkeyBat Well-Known Member

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    Has anyone been to this facility recently? My family is planning a trip to the country and I'm wondering if this is a zoo worth visiting. I'm interested in seeing margays, white lipped peccaries, jaguarundis, jabirus, ect.) Is this a good quality zoo worth going to? I'm just curious to hear a zoo enthusiast's idea of it.