2023
Hicatee Awareness Month 2023
The Wildlife Conservation Society observes Hicatee Awareness month throughout the month of October. The Central American River Turtle, locally known as the Hicatee, is CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, according to the IUCN mainly because of overconsumption. During this month, WCS will conduct education and outreach sessions to highlight the importance of the species through media apperances on Channel 5's Open Your Eyes and KREM WUB morning shows. WCS Belize raise awareness this year by hosting its annual Adult Trivia Contest and a Recycle Art Contest for Children.
Boat to Boat Outreach
WCS Belize and the Fisheries Department - Belize (BFD) jointly conducted boat to boat outreach between October 3 to 5 2023 around Glovers Reef Fishing Area No. 8, to promote sustainable fishing practices, update fishers on current regulations and to determine possible problems they may be facing while out at sea. Read more.
Movie Night in Mahogany Heights
WCS Belize organized a back to school movie night within the Maya Forest Corridor at the Mahogany Heights Post held on Wednesday August 30, 2023. Over 120 residents including 90 children and youths attended the event which included snacks and giveaways to learn more about who they can protect the important link to the Selva Maya, one of the 5 Great Forests in Mesoamerica. Thanks to Whitley Fund for Nature for financial support for this initiative. Read more.
Youths from Belize River Valley learn about protecting the Maya Forest Corridor
The Community Baboon Sanctuary Women’s Conservation Group (CBSWCG) invited WCS Belize to engage some 25 young people from the Belize River Valley area about the work we are doing to protect the Maya Forest Corridor, an important link to the Selva Maya in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, and one of the 5 Great Forests. The participants were participants of the CBSWCG’s Annual Summer Camp. Read more.
Summer Camp Youngsters learn about the importance of the Hicatee and Nassau Grouper
WCS Belize joined Clearwater Research Institute for its Annual Summer Camps in Belize City, Gales Point, Manatee; and Placencia. Our team engaged several children on the various research and monitoring work being done at Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve, with special highlight on Nassau grouper spawning aggregation, and why it is important to protect this critically endangered species from extinction. The students also learned about research work involving the Central American River Turtle (Hicatee) being conducted at Cox Lagoon within the Maya Forest Corridor. Read more.
Belize Forest Department Annual Summer Camp
The summer camp theme was “Healthy Forests for Healthy People.” WCS’s presentation during the camp focused mainly on our work in protecting the Maya Forest Corridor, a critical connection for wildlife to larger forest cover such as the Selva Maya, one of Mesoamerica Great Forests. Read more.
Wabafu 2nd Annual Fisher Fair in Dangriga Town
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Movie Night in La Democracia
WCS Belize organized a movie night featured ‘Yochi’ within the Maya Forest Corridor at La Democracia held in early June 2023. Over 80 residents including 60 children and youths attended the event which included snacks and giveaways to learn more about who they can protect the important link to the Selva Maya, one of the 5 Great Forests in Mesoamerica. Thanks to Whitley Fund for Nature for financial support for this initiative. Read more.
Fisherfolk Month 2023
Celebrated in June, WCS Belize partcipated in several activities planned for fishers and the public for the month. Theme "One Ocean, One Planet, One Plate: Uniting Aquatic Food Standards and Ocean Health" speaks to the importance of fisheries standards in the industry, with emphasis on seafood processing and healthy seas, a healthy planet, and a healthy you. Learn more .
Manatee Day Fair at Gales Point, Manatee
WCS Belize had the opportunity to speak about the work WCS is doing in the Maya Forest Corridor to build capacity for fire management of those communities that buffer the Maya Forest Corridor, including La Democracia and Mahogany Heights. Learn more .
Annual Crooked Tree Cashew Festival 2023
WCS Belize participated with a pop up booth providing information about our work to protect this important link to the Selva Maya, one of the 5 Great Forests of the world. Initiative include fire management, sustainable forest, and other activities, such as our annual Christmas Bird Count, that we undertake alongside partners such as The Belize Zoo & Tropical Education Center, Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and Belize Forest Department. Learn more .
Movie Night within Belize River Valley communities
WCS Belize organized a movie night featured ‘Yochi’ and ‘Tecuani and the Duende – The Voice of the Jaguar’ within the Maya Forest Corridor at at St. Paul’s Community Center on 4th May, 2023. Over 75 residents including children and youths attended the event. Both films stirred discussions about how residents of the Maya Forest Corridor buffer communities could help to protect this important corridor that provides vital connection to the Selva Maya, one of the 5 Great Forests of the world. Thanks to Whitley Fund for Nature for financial support for this initiative. Learn more.
School Visit : Belize Rural Primary School
WCS Belize along with the Belize Forest Department visited students at Belize Rural Primary School in Double Head Cabbage to discuss about biodiversity in the Belize River Valley, an important sister landscape to the Maya Forest Corridor. Read more .
School Visit: St. Ann’s Anglican School
WCS Belize along with and our partner at the The Belize Zoo & Tropical Education Center visited the upper-division students of St. Ann’s Anglican School, home to close to 40 students of Mahogany Heights and La Democracia villages on 23rd March,2023 to share the message on fire management. Read more .