Boats are the highest hazard for manatees, hence No Wake Zones are implemented to make sure boats are not speeding where the manatees feed. Though the tour is mostly a waiting game, it is totally worth it when you see a brown, sleek head pop out of the water for some air before diving back in. Scarlet Macaws. Scarlet Macaws are rare to spot, but when you do make sure you are strapped with your best long-lens camera to capture that Nat Geo-worthy shot.
The best place to spot them is in Red Bank, a small village south of Placencia. You can either opt to arrange a tour guide or go in search on your own keep in mind some camping out may be involved! Good things come to those who wait. Whale Sharks. Known as the biggest fish in the world, these creatures are mostly observed from the months of March to June. Many tourists plan their vacation around these times to visit Gladden Spit Marine Reserve, where the Whale Sharks are often spotted. Though they might be giant, they are gentle and coming face to face with one will be less daunting than it is heart-stirring.
Jaguar Reserve. At the Belize Zoo, you're sure to see toucans, macaws, the harpy eagle and the king vulture. Five different types of wildcats live in Belize's rainforest. Hunting thinned much of the jaguar population throughout North America, but Belize is still home to one of the largest populations of the leopard-like cats as well as its darker-furred, smaller relative the jaguarundi.
The forest also is home to the reclusive margay, a small, nocturnal tiger-like cat that lives in trees. The ocelot, now endangered after years of hunting for its fur, also has a large population in Belize.
Mountain lions, known as pumas in Belize, are the largest wildcat in the Belize rainforest. Difficult to see in the wild, you'll see several cats at the Belize Zoo, including a rescued jaguar that was trapped after it was thought to be killing ranchers' cattle. Howler monkeys, which can shriek loud enough to be heard from miles away, live in Belize, and the Americas' rainforests are the only places to find them worldwide.
In Belize, the black howler monkey, an endangered species, is among their ranks. The forest also is home to gibnuts, large rodents that can weigh more than 20 lbs. They are warm blooded like mammals, but do not have hair on their bodies; instead they have feathers. All birds lay eggs and most of them incubate the eggs with their warm, fluffy bodies. Belize supports over species of birds. This includes both resident and migratory species.
Birds thrive in all of Belize's habitats. Wading birds congregate along the coastline and inner lagoons. The grasslands and savannas provide seeds for the many finches, and hunting grounds for keen-eyed soaring raptors.
Tall emergent trees provide nesting sites for giant birds such as the Harpy Eagle and Jabiru Stork. In our tropical forests there is an astonishing diversity of birds, such as parrots, toucans, mot mots and others.
Watching birds in the tropical forests of Belize can be difficult at times, but extremely rewarding for birders. The thick vegetation, and the typical behavior of quick, seemingly random movements of many forest birds, make them often difficult to see.
Many birds also live in the upper canopy of the forest, making it a strain to be constantly looking upward. Often times we hear but do not get to see them. However, early morning and late afternoon are excellent times to bird watch, as most bird species are feeding or moving to new locations during these times.
The Belize Zoo has always had a strong collection of bird species , from parrots such as scarlet macaws, to vultures and hawks, and wading birds, including the iconic Jabiru Stork. A part from birds in enclosures the habitat around the zoo supports a variety of wild birds, that come and go when they chose to. For another up close experience you can do a Toucan Encounter with "Runt" our ambassador Keel-billed toucan.
The exact number of reptiles and amphibians is unknown as it is often difficult to study these two groups due to their habitats. To date there is approximately species of reptiles and amphibians recorded in Belize, with 62 of those being snakes. Reptiles are back-boned animals covered with scales. They lay shelled eggs similar to birds, or keep the eggs inside their bodies till they hatch.
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