This week, I was invited to join the Special Olympics delegation of the northern region on their annual trip to the Belize Zoo. We had seven students go from our school, and they needed an additional chaperone to accommodate for all the students with special needs. It was a blast!
Firstly, I was a little nostalgic because the zoo is laid out in a style very similar to the North Carolina Zoo. All animals are in natural habitats as opposed to enclosures. Additionally, all the animals in the Belize Zoo are native to Belize, and many of them have cool stories about how they were rescued from poachers, deforestation, or natural disasters. The animals are all named, and their history is posted alongside their photo at each exhibit.
As all primary students in Belize know, the national animal is the tapir, and the national bird is the toucan. Belize is home to many protected species like the scarlet mccaw and the jaguar, locally known as tigers. Monkeys are native to a few regions. The Belize Zoo does a beautiful job showcasing these species and explaining, through displays, that the vast biodiversity of the lush landscape here is not something that should be taken for granted.
As a biology major, I give the Belize Zoo a 10/10 for effectively explaining the responsibility we all have to care for the environment and why it is important to advocate for the preservation of the complex ecosystems we encounter around us. As a (new) primary educator, I give the Belize Zoo a 10/10 for a captivating presentation. Even though the kids were tired, they wanted to see every animal. I’ve only heard good things about the Belize Zoo, and I’m glad that I finally got to see it for myself.
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| Yay biodiversity! |
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| A friendly tapir |
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| Kids watching playful spider monkeys |
Love always,
Jess
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