203:
195:
475:"Junior Buddy" is a young jaguar born and raised in the Belize Zoo. A result of the Problem Jaguar Rehab Program (his mother was a rescued problem jaguar), Junior has been trained to perform several tricks in return for snacks, a form of positive reinforcement training. Visitors have the opportunity to safely enter a cage, within Junior's exhibit, to encounter him on a more personal level. The goal is to promote the appreciation and respect for the jaguar species.
454:
52:
29:
187:. It is home to more than 175 animals of about 48 species, all native to Belize. The natural environment of Belize is left entirely intact within the zoo. The dense, natural vegetation is separated only by gravel trails through the forest. The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center receives over 68,000 visitors annually, with 15,000 being students, teachers, and parents.
253:
525:
The zoo runs a ‘problem jaguar’ rehabilitation programme which has around 10 jaguars who are part of this; this is aimed to educate the local peoples about jaguars and reduce the conflict between local farmers and jaguars which may prey upon their livestock. A "Problem Jaguar" had repeatedly preyed
190:
The Belize Zoo focuses on educating visitors about the wildlife of Belize through encountering the animals in their natural habitat. The aim is to instill appreciation and pride, and a desire to protect and conserve Belize's natural resources. The zoo was the recipient of Belize
Tourism Board's 9th
239:
It became apparent that
Belizeans were largely unfamiliar with the native animals of Belize, and had many misconceptions and superstitions about them. The zoo's focus then shifted to educating residents and visitors alike about the native wildlife of Belize. After garnering local support and both
223:
accompanied the crew as an assistant and animal caretaker. At the end of filming, funds were exhausted, and there was debate over what to do with the now tame animals. Releasing them into the wild was out of the question, and animal euthanasia seemed too extreme. When the filming crew left, Matola
243:
The Belize Zoo is currently home to more than 175 individuals of 48 species native to Belize. Keeping to its goal of bringing visitors closer to Belize's natural heritage, the zoo only houses native animals. No zoo animal has ever been taken from the wild. Zoo residents were either people's pets,
466:
Apart from the traditional day time tour of the zoo, visitors are able to arrange night tours of the zoo, to see activity of the crepuscular and nocturnal animals. The animals on the tour include the tapirs, jaguars, margays, kinkajous, crocodiles, peccaries and howler monkeys.
202:
819:
194:
642:
728:
526:
upon livestock or domestic animals and are almost always older, injured, or sick, and thus unable to compete with other healthy individuals for food and territory.
506:
758:
215:
In 1983, a film making team, headed by cinematographer
Richard Foster (who later became a resident of Belize), came to Belize to create a documentary titled "
811:
244:
donated to the zoo, injured and brought in for healing and rehabilitation, born at the zoo, or sent to the zoo from another zoological facility.
896:
859:
788:
236:
and several exotic birds), and started a makeshift zoo, using the animals' enclosures as exhibits, to generate funding for their care.
68:
901:
720:
634:
698:
541:
550:
668:
750:
891:
314:
310:
479:
426:
306:
599:
370:
302:
240:
local and foreign donations, the zoo was relocated to its present 12-hectare (29-acre) site in 1991.
206:
Sharon Matola with children at Junior Buddy's 5th
Birthday Celebration at The Belize Zoo, 2012-02-21
198:
Sharon Matola interviewed at Junior Buddy's 5th
Birthday Celebration at The Belize Zoo, 2012-02-21
780:
442:
422:
374:
34:
453:
394:
330:
326:
290:
390:
366:
298:
266:
38:
430:
265:
The Belize Zoo is home to a variety of mammals, including Belize's national animal, the
434:
410:
183:
on the
Western Highway. Set in 12 hectares (29 acres), the zoo was founded in 1983 by
885:
864:
665:"Amazon.com: Junior Buddy (Scholastic Readers) (9780545230964): Craig Hatkoff: Books"
564:
478:
Junior's story has been made into a children's book, to be published and released by
362:
220:
184:
690:
438:
406:
386:
358:
318:
229:
51:
28:
812:"Flick and Gabby eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE AUSTRALIA | #AmazingRaceAU"
402:
382:
294:
180:
286:
83:
70:
252:
871:
781:"Happy Jaguars at The Belize Zoo's Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program"
545:, includes an interview with Sharon Matola and footage of the Belize Zoo.
398:
334:
322:
664:
505:
The Belize Zoo is headquarters for the Tapir
Specialist Group of the
378:
350:
282:
278:
274:
270:
233:
225:
176:
114:
42:
452:
338:
251:
201:
193:
191:
National
Tourism Award, "Educational Award of the Year" in 2009.
517:
The zoo released its 14th harpy eagle back to the wild in 2009.
536:
354:
172:
875:
853:
868:
Episode 206 "The Reef...and the
Rainforest" at OceanArchives
846:
591:
155:
361:, as well as a wetland aviary. Birds at the zoo include
548:
In 2022, the zoo appeared on the thirteenth episode of
535:"The Reef...and the Rainforest," a 1992 episode of the
150:
139:
128:
120:
109:
99:
21:
179:, located some 47 kilometres (29 mi) west of
269:, and the five wildcat species found in Belize: (
33:The logo depicts Belize's most iconic animals:
507:International Union for Conservation of Nature
8:
169:The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center
22:The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center
856:Photos from a visit to the zoo in Jan. 2010
691:"Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center"
586:
584:
582:
580:
18:
457:Close jaguar encounter in the Belize Zoo
751:"Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program"
576:
822:from the original on 25 September 2022
731:from the original on 17 September 2010
701:from the original on 18 September 2010
602:from the original on 16 September 2010
521:Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program
7:
349:The zoo features several species of
810:Laidlaw, Kyle (25 September 2022).
791:from the original on 19 August 2016
761:from the original on 14 August 2021
861:Photos from Belize Widelife Centre
14:
645:from the original on 29 June 2011
224:remained with the 17 animals (an
671:from the original on 2 June 2024
622:Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw
50:
27:
513:Harpy Eagle Restoration Program
219:" (Spanish for Green Forest).
140:
129:
16:Zoo in Western Highway, Belize
1:
897:1983 establishments in Belize
624:, page 38. Random House, 2008
551:The Amazing Race Australia 6
482:, released in October 2010.
421:Reptiles at the zoo include
918:
443:black spiny-tailed iguanas
113:Mile 29, Western Highway,
56:Entrance of the Belize Zoo
289:). Other mammals include
84:17.3549361°N 88.5538556°W
65:
61:
49:
26:
902:Zoos established in 1983
315:Central American agoutis
105:1991 in current location
486:Scarlet macaw encounter
89:17.3549361; -88.5538556
480:Scholastic Corporation
471:Junior Buddy encounter
458:
307:Yucatan spider monkeys
303:white-lipped peccaries
257:
207:
199:
456:
371:yellow-headed amazons
255:
205:
197:
124:12 ha (29 acres)
874:policy for video at
427:Morelet's crocodiles
311:black howler monkeys
423:American crocodiles
375:keel-billed toucans
80: /
787:. The Belize Zoo.
757:. The Belize Zoo.
727:. The Belize Zoo.
697:. Belize Gateway.
598:. The Belize Zoo.
539:television series
459:
395:ornate hawk-eagles
327:neotropical otters
299:collared peccaries
258:
208:
200:
35:keel-billed toucan
866:Return to the Sea
854:The Road Chose Me
721:"2009 Newsletter"
695:belizegateway.com
542:Return to the Sea
449:Animal encounters
391:great black hawks
367:red-lored amazons
291:white-tailed deer
256:Junior the jaguar
166:
165:
909:
850:
849:
847:Official website
832:
831:
829:
827:
807:
801:
800:
798:
796:
777:
771:
770:
768:
766:
747:
741:
740:
738:
736:
717:
711:
710:
708:
706:
687:
681:
680:
678:
676:
661:
655:
654:
652:
650:
631:
625:
618:
612:
611:
609:
607:
592:"The Belize Zoo"
588:
431:boa constrictors
162:
159:
157:
142:
131:
95:
94:
92:
91:
90:
85:
81:
78:
77:
76:
73:
54:
31:
19:
917:
916:
912:
911:
910:
908:
907:
906:
882:
881:
845:
844:
841:
836:
835:
825:
823:
809:
808:
804:
794:
792:
779:
778:
774:
764:
762:
749:
748:
744:
734:
732:
719:
718:
714:
704:
702:
689:
688:
684:
674:
672:
663:
662:
658:
648:
646:
633:
632:
628:
619:
615:
605:
603:
590:
589:
578:
573:
561:
532:
498:
451:
411:great curassows
250:
213:
154:
104:
88:
86:
82:
79:
74:
71:
69:
67:
66:
57:
45:
17:
12:
11:
5:
915:
913:
905:
904:
899:
894:
892:Zoos in Belize
884:
883:
880:
879:
862:
857:
851:
840:
839:External links
837:
834:
833:
802:
772:
742:
712:
682:
656:
626:
613:
575:
574:
572:
569:
568:
567:
560:
557:
556:
555:
546:
531:
528:
523:
522:
515:
514:
503:
502:
497:
494:
493:
492:
488:
487:
473:
472:
464:
463:
462:Nocturnal Tour
450:
447:
419:
418:
363:scarlet macaws
347:
346:
263:
262:
249:
246:
212:
209:
164:
163:
152:
148:
147:
144:
137:
136:
133:
126:
125:
122:
118:
117:
111:
107:
106:
101:
97:
96:
63:
62:
59:
58:
55:
47:
46:
32:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
914:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
889:
887:
877:
876:OceanArchives
873:
869:
867:
863:
860:
858:
855:
852:
848:
843:
842:
838:
821:
817:
813:
806:
803:
790:
786:
785:belizezoo.org
782:
776:
773:
760:
756:
755:belizezoo.org
752:
746:
743:
730:
726:
725:belizezoo.org
722:
716:
713:
700:
696:
692:
686:
683:
670:
666:
660:
657:
644:
640:
636:
630:
627:
623:
617:
614:
601:
597:
596:belizezoo.org
593:
587:
585:
583:
581:
577:
570:
566:
565:April (tapir)
563:
562:
558:
553:
552:
547:
544:
543:
538:
534:
533:
529:
527:
520:
519:
518:
512:
511:
510:
508:
500:
499:
495:
491:Boa encounter
490:
489:
485:
484:
483:
481:
476:
470:
469:
468:
461:
460:
455:
448:
446:
444:
440:
439:green iguanas
436:
432:
428:
424:
416:
415:
414:
412:
408:
407:crested guans
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
387:king vultures
384:
380:
376:
372:
368:
364:
360:
356:
352:
344:
343:
342:
340:
336:
332:
328:
324:
320:
316:
312:
308:
304:
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
267:Baird's tapir
260:
259:
254:
247:
245:
241:
237:
235:
231:
227:
222:
221:Sharon Matola
218:
210:
204:
196:
192:
188:
186:
185:Sharon Matola
182:
178:
174:
170:
161:
153:
149:
145:
138:
134:
127:
123:
119:
116:
112:
108:
102:
98:
93:
75:88°33′13.88″W
72:17°21′17.77″N
64:
60:
53:
48:
44:
40:
39:Baird's tapir
36:
30:
25:
20:
865:
826:25 September
824:. Retrieved
815:
805:
793:. Retrieved
784:
775:
763:. Retrieved
754:
745:
735:16 September
733:. Retrieved
724:
715:
705:16 September
703:. Retrieved
694:
685:
675:13 September
673:. Retrieved
659:
649:16 September
647:. Retrieved
638:
635:"Belize Zoo"
629:
621:
616:
606:16 September
604:. Retrieved
595:
549:
540:
524:
516:
504:
496:Conservation
477:
474:
465:
435:fer-de-lance
420:
403:mottled owls
383:harpy eagles
348:
319:lowland paca
264:
242:
238:
216:
214:
189:
168:
167:
816:TV Blackbox
641:. Fodor's.
620:Barcott, B:
295:red brocket
217:Selva Verde
181:Belize City
100:Date opened
87: /
886:Categories
639:fodors.com
571:References
331:coatimundi
323:gray foxes
287:jaguarundi
158:.belizezoo
143:of species
132:of animals
399:barn owls
335:kinkajous
121:Land area
872:Fair use
820:Archived
789:Archived
759:Archived
729:Archived
699:Archived
669:Archived
643:Archived
600:Archived
559:See also
530:In media
509:(IUCN).
417:Reptiles
110:Location
795:1 April
765:1 April
359:raptors
351:parrots
261:Mammals
248:Animals
211:History
151:Website
501:Tapirs
379:jabiru
357:, and
339:tayras
297:deer,
285:, and
283:margay
279:ocelot
271:jaguar
234:jaguar
226:ocelot
177:Belize
115:Belize
43:jaguar
345:Birds
171:is a
828:2022
797:2021
767:2021
737:2010
707:2010
677:2014
651:2010
608:2010
441:and
409:and
355:owls
337:and
275:puma
232:, a
230:puma
228:, a
160:.org
103:1983
41:and
537:PBS
175:in
173:zoo
156:www
141:No.
135:125
130:No.
888::
818:.
814:.
783:.
753:.
723:.
693:.
667:.
637:.
594:.
579:^
445:.
437:,
433:,
429:,
425:,
413:.
405:,
401:,
397:,
393:,
389:,
385:,
381:,
377:,
373:,
369:,
365:,
353:,
341:.
333:,
329:,
325:,
321:,
317:,
313:,
309:,
305:,
301:,
293:,
281:,
277:,
273:,
146:48
37:,
878:)
870:(
830:.
799:.
769:.
739:.
709:.
679:.
653:.
610:.
554:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
