Belize Adventure

Natural History, April, 2001 by Stephanie Fekety

Belize is known for the warmth and hospitality of its population.

ONLY A TWO-HOUR PLANE RIDE FROM the United States, Belize lies directly south of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and borders the Caribbean Sea. Fly into Belize City and you're off on a wonderful adventure. One of the best shows in Belize happens every day of the year, and it's free. At dawn or dusk take a stroll by the famous Swing Bridge on Haulover Creek. There young men from the city gather to manually turn the bridge sideways to allow vessels to pass to or from the Caribbean Sea. Built in Liverpool, England, and installed in 1928, it may be the last manually operated bridge in service anywhere.

Natural and unspoiled, Belize is a haven for some of the world's most exotic and endangered species. It has become a recognized leader in preservation and conservation. Nature reserves abound, and a fascinating population of birds, beasts, and marine life reside here.

Twenty-seven miles outside of Belize City, the Community Baboon Sanctuary supports the only stable and healthy population of black howler monkeys in the world. The reserve provides a home to 1,800 black howler monkeys as well as 250 species of birds, deer, coatis, anteaters, peccaries, and iguana. The black howler, an endangered species, is found only in Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize.

Belize boasts four butterfly breeding farms: Chaa Creek Butterfly Center, San Ignacio; Shipstern Butterfly Breeding Center, Orange Walk; and Tropical Wings Nature Center, Cayo--all natural reserved; and Fallen Stones Butterfly Ranch in Toledo. Here Belize's colorful butterfly population is sustained, increased, and bred for export.

Belize is also known for its marine environment. Home to the Western Hemisphere's largest barrier reef, 70 types of hard corals, more than 400 species of fish, three major offshore atolls, seven aquatic World Heritage sites, nearly 200 offshore cayes, and an endless array of dive sites, Belize is an extraordinary experience for the beginner as well as the seasoned diving enthusiast.

If you want to experience Belize's wondrous history, a visit to the Maya ruins is a fascinating excursion to another time. Belize has the highest concentration of Maya sites among all Central American countries. Belize has joined with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico to establish Mundo Maya, the World of the Maya, a program dedicated to the preservation of Maya culture. Most sites are readily accessible, with guided tours available.

The most extensively excavated ruin is Altun Ha, or Water of the Rock. Altun Ha was a major ceremonial and coastal trade center. The ruin consists of two main plazas with thirteen temple and residential structures. The Jade Head, representing the Sun God, Kinich Ha, was found here--the largest carved jade object in the whole Maya area. Caracol, or Snail, is the largest of Belize's Maya ruins, reached by a spectacular scenic drive through the Chiquibul Rainforest. Currently under excavation and restoration, Caracol's importance as a major ceremonial center has only recently been discovered. The largest pyramid in Caracol, "Caana" (Sky Place), rises 140 feet and is the tallest man-made structure in Belize.