Yesterday, I returned from a ten-day ecotourism trip in Belize, and on the first day of the trip visited the Belize Zoo. While I don't always write reviews when I visit new zoos, since Belize Zoo gets very little attention on Zoo Chat, I figured it was worthwhile to highlight what this facility is like and the species it exhibits. The Belize Zoo focuses only on native wildlife, with many of the individuals being rescued individuals. Due to the zoo's confusing layout (more on that later), rather than give a species list/review in order, I will discuss the animals displayed by taxonomic group instead and follow with some overall observations. ReptilesAlmost the entire zoo is outside, with the exception of three rather standard-sized terrariums, located within the entrance building. These terrariums house: - "Fer-de-lance", Bothrops asper - "Tropical Ratsnake", Spilotes pullatus - "Boa Constrictor", Boa imperator Other than these terrariums, there is only a handful of reptile species on display at the Belize Zoo. One large pond contains four species of turtle, of which I saw two, along with an unsigned Morelet's crocodile. This pond is visible from multiple viewing areas, and allows a large amount of area for these reptiles to swim. While I only saw two of the four turtle species on display, both species that I saw were displayed in large numbers, but ample space was provided nonetheless due to the large size of this pond. Perhaps more exciting than the turtles, I saw a wild pygmy kingfisher perched on a branch behind this pond! On the other end of the zoo, two more crocodile exhibits exist, one each for Morelet's and American crocodile. Both of these exhibits are large, with a good mix of land and water area, although the viewing opportunities for these exhibits are difficult to see through. A complete list of reptiles exhibited outside in the zoo: Mesoamerican slider, Trachemys venusta Red-eared slider (no-show), Trachemys scripta elegans Mexican giant musk turtle, Staurotypus salvinii Hickatee (no-show), Dermatemys mawii Morelet's crocodile, Crocodylus moreletii American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus BirdsOnce visitors leave the main entrance building, the first exhibit they will see is a spacious aviary for king vultures. There are many aviaries spread out throughout the Belize Zoo, and like many of them this aviary is very large, and densely planted, creating an all-in-all excellent home for its vulture inhabitants. One really great thing about Belize Zoo is that all of its resident birds are found in aviaries, including species such as macaws, raptors, and storks which many other facilities will flight restrict. While I don't know if every bird here is flighted (many are rescues, after all), the fact they are all in aviaries is very commendable. While many of the aviaries are respectable, there are a few which stand out above the rest. Very large aviaries for great curassow and harpy eagles are visible from a second-story overlook, and especially the eagle aviary is very large, which enough room for the eagles to take flight. The largest aviary in the zoo, and located near the back, is the Jabiru stork aviary, which reminded me a lot of Franklin Park Zoo's condor exhibit, since visitors can walk through an enclosed pathway into the center of this large aviary, which is furnished with plenty of pools and land area for this impressive, tallest bird of the Americas. A complete list of birds displayed at the Belize Zoo are: King vulture, Sarcoramphus papa Crested guan, Penelope purpurascens Ornate hawk-eagle, Spizaetus ornatus Barn owl, Tyto alba Jabiru stork, Jabiru mycteria Great curassow, Crax rubra Harpy eagle, Harpia harpyja Bat falcon, Falco rufigularis Spectacled owl (no-show), Pulsatrix perspicillata Mottled owl, Strix virgata White-fronted parrot, red-lored parrot, and mealy parrot, Amazona albifrons, A. autumnalis, A. farinosa Yellow-headed parrot, Amazona oratrix Scarlet macaw, Ara macao CatsWhile I tend not to be a big cat person, I'd imagine someone who is very interested in cats would greatly enjoy Belize Zoo. All five of Belize's cat species are usually on display, however the ocelot is currently not exhibited. While the four smaller cat species each have one exhibit, jaguars receive a series of larger exhibits in the center of the zoo, each of which is densely planted and allows for plenty of climbing and hiding opportunities. The reason for so many jaguar exhibits is that the Belize Zoo runs the Human-Jaguar Conflict Program (Human Jaguar Conflict Program - The Belize Zoo), so has a long history of working with "problem jaguars" that are not releasable to the wild. Besides jaguars, the other cat exhibits are also quite impressive, in particular I found the margay exhibit (pictured below), to be fantastic- as it is very large, densely planted, and provides more space than some leopard exhibits I've seen. The one downside with such large exhibits is it can make the cats difficult to see and photograph, as both the margay and jaguarundi were hanging around the backs of their exhibits in places where getting good photographs proved impossible. Cats currently on display at the Belize Zoo are: Jaguar, Panthera onca Puma, Puma concolour Margay, Leopardus wiedii Jaguarundi, Herpailurus yagouaroundi UngulatesAlong with jaguars, another species to receive multiple exhibits at the Belize Zoo is the Baird's tapir. Seven tapirs each have their own exhibit at the Belize Zoo, and these exhibits are truly incredible for these animals. Each of them takes advantage of the natural foliage to create dense pockets for the tapirs to hide, while also having more open areas available that encourage visibility and allow the tapirs choice and control over their environments. While some of the exhibits could benefit from larger pools, they were by and large the best tapir exhibits I've ever seen, in no small part due to the fact they appear to simply be fenced off sections of forest. A number of wild animals were also observed going into and out of the tapir exhibits, including numerous green iguanas, an agouti, and a plain chachalaca. Across from the first two tapir exhibits is an exhibit for four white-tailed deer. Similar to with the tapirs, this fenced off section of forest, though not incredibly large, provides more than enough room for these deer and allows for choice and control over their environment. Two peccary species are displayed elsewhere in the zoo, with the collared peccary exhibit being particularly notable as it houses a very large group of these unique creatures, and is a huge exhibit with lots of opportunities to express natural behavior. Ungulate species at the Belize Zoo are: Baird's tapir, Tapirus bairdii White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus White-lipped peccary, Tayassu pecari Collared peccary, Dicotyles tajacu PrimatesBelize has two native species of primate, and both are displayed here in exhibits that are simply phenomenal. Two exhibits exist for each species, the Central American spider and Yucatan black howler monkeys, and each exhibit amounts to little more than a fenced-off section of forest with ample climbing opportunities for the monkeys. What is especially interesting is these large exhibits are open-topped, providing very little barrier between visitors and the monkeys. Each of these exhibits is visible from a elevated viewing platform, and especially the spider monkey exhibits provide lots of excellent viewing angles into these exhibits, some of the best primate habitats I've ever seen. Perhaps the only monkey habitat I've ever seen that is larger is Bronx's Gelada Reserve, and that one displays a much bigger monkey! The monkey species displayed at the Belize Zoo are: Yucatan black howler monkey, Alouatta pigra Central American spider monkey, Ateles geoffroyi vellerosus Small MammalsThe small mammal highlights of the Belize Zoo, exhibit wise, are hands-down the coatis. Near the center of the zoo, a large exhibit houses an impressive social group of these animals, allowing plenty of climbing opportunities on both an artificial structure and natural trees. At least six coatis are found in this exhibit, which is really great to see as this social species is seldom displayed in such large groups. Lowland paca are another highlight, which can be found in a large, forested exhibit which could've easily housed a much larger species. While paca have evaded me at multiple traditional zoos before, many zoo chatters may be interested to know that I got a great view of this nocturnal species during a night tour of the Belize Zoo, which are regularly offered and allow excellent views of species often asleep during the day (and the opportunity to pet and hand-feed carrots to a tapir!). While my group had to cut our night tour short since it was already a long day for us, I would love to return some day and complete the entire tour, as the parts I got to see (tapir, jaguar, paca, a few other small mammals), were a truly incredible experience featuring up-close views of these unique species. Other than paca and coati, most of the small mammal exhibits at Belize Zoo are not overly notable. Fairly standard, but spacious, exhibits are scattered throughout the zoo for a handful of unusual species, while a neotropical river otter has perhaps the weakest exhibit in the entire zoo. While the river otter exhibit is not bad, it is a merely average exhibit in an otherwise above average zoo, which unfortunately makes it stand out like a sore thumb. The fact only a single otter lives here is also unfortunate, though perhaps understandable given that the zoo focuses on rescues. The agoutis were a no-show, though I'm not complaining since I saw wild individuals of the species wandering around elsewhere in the zoo! A complete list of small mammals are: Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine, Coendou mexicanus Kinkajou, Potos flavus Lowland paca, Cuniculus paca Central American agouti (no-show), Dasyprocta punctata White-nosed coati, Nasua narica Northern tamandua, Tamandua mexicana Neotropical river otter, Lontra longicaudis Some Overall Notes The collection at the Belize Zoo is interesting, but I do wish it gave a more wholistic view at Belizean wildlife. Since it is the country's only zoo, and one of their main missions is educating local communities about their native wildlife, it would be great to see more of an effort made in expanding the collection into more misunderstood wildlife. A building with displays for more reptiles, amphibians, and some invertebrates (including scorpions and tarantulas) could go a long way in making the zoo feel more complete, and help the zoo to further its educational mission. One really interesting thing about the Belize Zoo is its lack of mixed-species exhibits. While fairly standard in US zoos, the Belize Zoo only has two mixed-species exhibits total, one with parrots and one with turtles and a crocodile. While mixed-species exhibits aren't essential to have a good zoo, I think the Belize Zoo could be improved through incorporating some more unique mixed-species exhibits, and this could go a long way in helping the zoo economically keep a greater number of individual animals if needed. The fencing at Belize Zoo is very different from in US zoos. Not only is it primarily chain link fencing, but there are rarely secondary barriers. If I wanted to, I could've easily put my hand into an exhibit for jaguars, tapir, or any number of other animals, something no zoos in the Litigious States of America would allow. I'm not necessarily saying this is a bad thing, just something I found worth noting. Perhaps the biggest problem with the Belize Zoo is accessibility. Belize Zoo would not be able to exist in the United States, not due to anything animal-related, but due to the prevalence of stairs without an alternate ramp, difficult pathways to maneuver, and otherwise being inaccessible to differently-abled people. While this doesn't have a direct impact on me, it is still something I like to look for and point out when discussing zoos as zoos should be institutions that are welcoming and inclusive for all people, including those with mobility challenges or additional sensory needs. Layout is one area I feel the Belize Zoo could improve upon. While I'm not opposed to the lack of organized "zones" or the fact exhibits are seemingly randomly organized throughout the zoo, the shortage of directional signage and the high amount of possible turns, loops within loops, and dead-end paths makes for a challenging zoo visit. On one hand, I like the feeling of adventure this brings as you never know what could be around the corner, however on the other hand, I can't help but think that I likely would've missed something and/or gotten lost if it wasn't for our group's tour guide. Signage is a really unique feature at the Belize Zoo, and I'm hesitant to say it's a positive or negative feature. Much of the signage at the Belize Zoo focuses on the stories of the individual animals, oftentimes in cheeky sayings that rhyme, creating an overall light-hearted mood to the signage. While these signs can be excellent, I would've liked to see them used in conjunction with, rather than instead of, the more traditional signage focusing on diet, biology, or behavior. There can, and, should, be a place for both of these in zoos- and so while the signage at the Belize Zoo is excellent, additional signage focusing on more traditional educational topics would be a great addition. Furthermore, these signs were not consistent at all exhibits either. While some had really great signs talking a lot about a particular animal, others had shorter signs without much detail other than what animal was on display. While I understand signage may not be the priority for a zoo with limited resources, it remains something important to zoo visits, and something I'd love to see in more detail and more consistently at the Belize Zoo. Some examples of signage at the zoo follow: Final ThoughtsOverall, Belize Zoo is an excellent, albeit imperfect zoo. While there are areas the zoo could improve upon, such as layout and accessibility, none of the issues I found with the Belize Zoo were related to its animal exhibits, and it remains a truly incredible experience I strongly encourage any zoo enthusiasts to experience for themselves. The inclusion of both self-guided day time and keeper-guided night time tours mean there are two fantastic ways to explore the Belize Zoo, and the collection contains a lot of really unique species not often seen in zoos. Many of the exhibits, namely those for monkeys, margay, and coati, are easily some of the best I've ever seen, and not a single exhibit at the zoo is outright bad. Hopefully, the Belize Zoo has a bright future, as its attendance numbers have been on the rise post-COVID they can hopefully make this incredible zoo, affectionately known as the "Best Little Zoo in the World" even better going forward.
