Panama is doing fine at 9!

It seems like only yesterday when Panama the Harpy Eagle arrived to The Belize Zoo, in “chick mode”, all white and fluffy.   He was supposed to be a part of the Belize Harpy Eagle Restoration Program, BHERP.  “Panama”, hatched in captivity at The Peregrine Fund HQ in Panama, was scheduled for release into the tropical forests of Belize, but due to having a damaged eye upon hatching, he could not be a part of this progressive conservation program.

Pat the Great Cat

The story of Pat the Cat is truly extraordinary.  Years ago, Pat was trapped for his crime of being a “cattle killing Problem Jaguar”.  He entered the just-beginning Belize Zoo Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program, PJRP, and  became a favourite of TBZ keeper staff.  The boy simply had -lots of cat-charisma and character. An important part of the PJRP included sending these “can’t-be-released-back-into-the-wild jaguars” to quality zoological institutions in North America.  Why?  There is a dire need for fresh genetic input in the captive jaguar population.  Healthy genes equals healthy cats.

Raptor Education Soars in Stann Creek

In December, nearby the Stann Creek  village of Alta Vista, a juvenile Solitary Eagle was shot.  One of the rarest raptors in Central America, the loss of this magnificent bird was a tragedy.  No, the eagle was not preying upon chickens, ducks, dogs, or anything of value to anyone.  Simply observing his surroundings, he was sadly introduced to the human device known as a shotgun.  Eagle gone.

Despite the loss of the juvenile, its discovery, along with the sighting of both parents days later, certainly indicated the possibility of a population in the area. This, coupled with the discovery of a single other Solitary Eagle nest in the Mountain Pine Ridge area, Cayo District, was the first discovery of a nest in Central America, in more than 50 years!

Cats Cruisin' the Corridor

There has been lots of attention recently about the important role the lands, lying to the north and to the south of The Belize Zoo, play in maintaining a healthy and balanced environment.  Referred to as “The Central Belize Wildlife Corridor, numerous natural history treasures call these lands home-sweet-home. Wilber Martinez, an official with  Birds Without Borders, will be quick to note that this stretch of habitat provides a safe nesting and hunting grounds for our tall and elegant Jabiru stork.  Important?  With less than 200 Jabirus remaining in the entire region of Central America, our Central Wildlife Biological Corridor is a significant home-stay for Belize’s Jabiru population.