Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve, Belize
Anchored off the town of Dangriga, we landed on the only English speaking country in Central America. Once controlled by England as a source of timber for shipbuilding, free slaves, Garifuna descendants of Carib Indians, Chinese, and refuges from various wars, which have plagued neighboring countries, have settled Belize. Now Belize is also a country aware of its resources and has an extensive conservation network.
Our early morning destination was the famous Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve , some 155 square mile forest reserve at the edge of the Mayan Mountains that boasts the highest density of free-ranging jaguars in the Americas. While one small group swam in a verdant waterfall, the rest ambled along the Cockscomb River stopping frequently to identify the profusion of tropical tanagers, kingfishers and hummingbirds.
Several White-collared manakins fascinated us with their frenetic circus-like displays on their cleared arenas on the dark forest floor. At one riverside opening we were challenged trying to simultaneously identify six hummingbirds, when we spotted a large raptor preening in a tall cercropia tree across the river. When it peered back at us with a stunning dark crest we realized we were watching a seldom-seen ornate hawk eagle—one of the world’s largest raptors, which frequently hunts jungle monkeys.
When the groups reconvened to compared notes our collective species listed grew by the page. After lunch and a leisurely cruise towards Belize’s equally famous Barrier Reef, we stopped at Coco Plum Cay, a private Gary Larson style island where we set up our hammocks between sea grape trees, swam in the adjacent warm lagoon, and visited a nearby rockery to marvel at the aerial-dynamic wizardry of magnificent frigatebirds.
Several white downy chicks cautiously tested their long wings, while attendant females looked proudly on. One perhaps disappointed male briefly displayed his scarlet gular throat pouch while looked like a blazing sunset. However, the sunset was not to be as a sudden rainsquall chased us under our thatched shelters where we enjoyed an old fashion barbeque.
Anchored off the town of Dangriga, we landed on the only English speaking country in Central America. Once controlled by England as a source of timber for shipbuilding, free slaves, Garifuna descendants of Carib Indians, Chinese, and refuges from various wars, which have plagued neighboring countries, have settled Belize. Now Belize is also a country aware of its resources and has an extensive conservation network.
Our early morning destination was the famous Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve , some 155 square mile forest reserve at the edge of the Mayan Mountains that boasts the highest density of free-ranging jaguars in the Americas. While one small group swam in a verdant waterfall, the rest ambled along the Cockscomb River stopping frequently to identify the profusion of tropical tanagers, kingfishers and hummingbirds.
Several White-collared manakins fascinated us with their frenetic circus-like displays on their cleared arenas on the dark forest floor. At one riverside opening we were challenged trying to simultaneously identify six hummingbirds, when we spotted a large raptor preening in a tall cercropia tree across the river. When it peered back at us with a stunning dark crest we realized we were watching a seldom-seen ornate hawk eagle—one of the world’s largest raptors, which frequently hunts jungle monkeys.
When the groups reconvened to compared notes our collective species listed grew by the page. After lunch and a leisurely cruise towards Belize’s equally famous Barrier Reef, we stopped at Coco Plum Cay, a private Gary Larson style island where we set up our hammocks between sea grape trees, swam in the adjacent warm lagoon, and visited a nearby rockery to marvel at the aerial-dynamic wizardry of magnificent frigatebirds.
Several white downy chicks cautiously tested their long wings, while attendant females looked proudly on. One perhaps disappointed male briefly displayed his scarlet gular throat pouch while looked like a blazing sunset. However, the sunset was not to be as a sudden rainsquall chased us under our thatched shelters where we enjoyed an old fashion barbeque.
