Belize, Sustainability, and Auburn Abroad

Today we basically drove across the country – all sixty-eight miles of it (thank you Shen-li’s lecture for that information) – which was quite a fun experience even though we were sitting in a car, driving on extremely bumpy roads for a lot of it. After we packed up our bags and met Shen-li and Abel, our other tour guide, we rode for a little over thirty minutes before arriving at Belize City, where we took pictures at the Belize sign, and went to the Museum of Belize. Then we got back on the bus for about an hour until we arrived at the zoo, which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, but was still one of the best zoos—and probably one of the best things on this trip—that I had ever been to. Unlike other zoos, this one was actually incorporated into the natural environment. All the animals had enclosures that were good sized and seemed to closely resemble their natural habitat. There was just something about feeling so immersed in the animals’ true environments that was really cool. Also, the animals were all rescues which made the stereotypical concept of zoos (innocent animals trapped in cages) false in most circumstances at the Belize Zoo. Shen-li mentioned one of the Harpy Eagles was rehabilitated and released into the wild (even though it chose to come back to the zoo) which showed that they were actually trying to help these animals instead of keeping them locked up. The zoo had an example of a road sign that would be put up at a common Tapir crossing to inform the public that these animals were there and to make sure they kept a look out for them so the animals (and people) would not get harmed. There were also signs that read “There is still time to save the animals” which is a way of telling tourists they can help and might even urge them to do something. Another sign talked about government policies to help the Harpy Eagle, which showed the government was actively participating in the preservation effort. Each animal had their own story as well, most of which were pretty funny because they wrote them in first person, as if the animal was telling it. This made people enjoy reading about the animals, which, in turn, could make them pay more attention to the rescue and conservation aspects because they are getting the info in a fun way, not just reading boring paragraphs. The policies at the zoo were another way that showed how much they cared about conserving the environment. They did not give out straws because they could be a hazard for animals and they also had plastic recycling bins made out of plastic bottles which was a smart and creative idea. I think we do not see things like this in the United States because ecotourism is not as big as it is in Belize. People in this area of Belize realize the necessity of keeping the environment clean and making sure the animals in it are healthy while no one seems to put the thought into policies like that in the United States. I am sure there are some, but either not many people know about, care about, or follow them. After the zoo, we went to the capital, Belmopan (about thirty to forty-five minutes), drove around, and stopped for a lecture by Shen-li about the history, culture, and economy of Belize. I had not realized how many different cultures were interspersed in the country. I had never heard of the Mennonites or Garifuna cultures and actually, on the way to duPlooy’s, I saw a couple of Mennonites riding down the street in their overalls and horse drawn carriage (like the Amish). The people in Belize have continued to be friendly and all seemed really happy, especially the tour guides such as the one at the jungle lodge who was very energetic and excited to see us. Yet another successful day in Belize.