The Community Baboon Sanctuary is a cool community run effort to conserve the natural habitat for black howler monkeys in Belize. The monkeys are wild here and you are walking through their natural habitat. There is no fence around the sanctuary, the whole area is natural.
The black howler monkeys are free to roam where they wish. At the time of our visit, we were the only visitors at the sanctuary. This was nice because we had a knowledgeable and personal tour of the sanctuary.
Belize Animals: Community Baboon Sanctuary
Our guide started out explaining the conservation effort and the land. Before we started, our guide talked about the insects and specifically the ants. The ants here have a powerful sting and our guide explained how they were used as stitches. It was fascinating as my kids recalled hearing this in a movie once. We also learned about the termites and the symbiotic relationship they have to the jungle.
During the tour you will walk down a dirt path along the Belize River. When the Belize River swells during the rainy season it will cover the path. We saw black howler monkeys within a few minutes of walking down the path.
Our tour guide spent years creating a relationship with one of the monkey families that resides on the land. We saw a male, two females, a baby and a young male monkey. Our tour guide would “call” to them and the monkeys responded.
Visiting the Community Baboon Sanctuary was one of the highlights of our visit to Belize. The kids loved learning about the monkeys as well as feeding them. The young male was very curious and climbed tree to tree to follow us along the path.
Green Iguana Conservation Project
The kids absolutely loved the Green Iguana Conservation Project in San Ignacio.
Iguanas in Belize
In Belize there are two kinds of iguanas
- Green iguanas
- Spiny tail iguanas
We saw iguanas everywhere while visiting Belize. We saw several Spiny Tail iguanas running around when we were in San Pedro. They can run pretty fast. The Spiny Tail Iguanas eat insects, fruits and vegetables.
Belize is also home to Green Iguanas. Green Iguanas do not eat insects, they are herbivores. If you want to hold and see many iguanas at one time a visit to the Green Iguana Conservation Project is in order. This center is located in San Ignacio at the San Ignacio Hotel. Not only will you learn a lot about iguanas you can touch and hold them.
Despite the fact iguanas seem to be everywhere here, they are actually threatened by the loss of their natural habitat and from humans. The Green Iguana Conservation Project raises iguanas and then releases them to their natural habitat. While walking around the conservation area if you stand still you are likely to get some hitchhikers on your back. They were very friendly.
Shark Alley
If you want to swim with the sharks. The reef off of Ambergris Caye is the place to go.
