Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve, Belize
After cruising the turquoise waters of Belize these past two days, we anchored off the town of Dangriga, on the mainland half way down the coast of Belize, inside the barrier reef. The chuffing wind kept us cool as we landed just after dawn on a sandy beach and met our local naturalists for our visit into the interior. We traveled by bus along the “Hummingbird Highway” on our way to Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve; however, we never did see any hummingbirds during the time we spent on the road. Instead, more than once, the bus pulled over to the side in order for us to identify one avian figure or another perched either on a telephone wire, bare tree branch or shrub. We finally made it into the preserve and the parking area was alive with the twitters, churrs and delightful sounds of early morning in a sub tropical rainforest. For a short while before organizing ourselves into walks of different lengths and difficulty, we could hear a chorus of the black howler monkeys in the not so far distance.
This area is also known as Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Originally created to give protection to the jaguars of the region (one of the highest densities of jaguars in Central America is found here), it was once exposed to human activity by being briefly logged for its tropical hardwoods from the accessible eastern edge, the western region of the basin escaping any serious damage. The local Maya people inhabit the periphery of the preserve today, but they never really settled in the interior because of the poor granitic soils. So, having been left alone and undeveloped for many years, it has proven over time to be a haven for a vast number of species dependent on a healthy tropical forest environment. No large cats were seen, but much of interest was seen, from tarantulas guarding egg balls to leaf cutter ants, toucans to chachalacas, red-capped manakins to a chestnut colored woodpecker taking apart in dramatic fashion a termite nest overhanging a small stream. The displaced termites in turn fell into the water below and created a feeding frenzy for the fresh water cichlids hungrily waiting below.
The afternoon was a delightfully relaxing time spent on a coconut palm covered coralline caye with drinks and ceviche in hand, all this while seated comfortably in the breeze watching the sun set.
After cruising the turquoise waters of Belize these past two days, we anchored off the town of Dangriga, on the mainland half way down the coast of Belize, inside the barrier reef. The chuffing wind kept us cool as we landed just after dawn on a sandy beach and met our local naturalists for our visit into the interior. We traveled by bus along the “Hummingbird Highway” on our way to Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve; however, we never did see any hummingbirds during the time we spent on the road. Instead, more than once, the bus pulled over to the side in order for us to identify one avian figure or another perched either on a telephone wire, bare tree branch or shrub. We finally made it into the preserve and the parking area was alive with the twitters, churrs and delightful sounds of early morning in a sub tropical rainforest. For a short while before organizing ourselves into walks of different lengths and difficulty, we could hear a chorus of the black howler monkeys in the not so far distance.
This area is also known as Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Originally created to give protection to the jaguars of the region (one of the highest densities of jaguars in Central America is found here), it was once exposed to human activity by being briefly logged for its tropical hardwoods from the accessible eastern edge, the western region of the basin escaping any serious damage. The local Maya people inhabit the periphery of the preserve today, but they never really settled in the interior because of the poor granitic soils. So, having been left alone and undeveloped for many years, it has proven over time to be a haven for a vast number of species dependent on a healthy tropical forest environment. No large cats were seen, but much of interest was seen, from tarantulas guarding egg balls to leaf cutter ants, toucans to chachalacas, red-capped manakins to a chestnut colored woodpecker taking apart in dramatic fashion a termite nest overhanging a small stream. The displaced termites in turn fell into the water below and created a feeding frenzy for the fresh water cichlids hungrily waiting below.
The afternoon was a delightfully relaxing time spent on a coconut palm covered coralline caye with drinks and ceviche in hand, all this while seated comfortably in the breeze watching the sun set.
