Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine April 2017 | Page 99

Wildlife
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
This is a place where visitors can enjoy hiking and observing wildlife in its natural environment and includes
one of the world’s only Jaguar sanctuaries. The Jaguar is the third largest of the cat family but is very secretive.
If you do not get the opportunity to see one whilst here, you can always see one at the Belize Zoo.
Belize Zoo
The wildlife in Belize is perhaps even more diverse than
its human population and perhaps one of the best ways
to appreciate and enjoy this diversity is to visit the Belize
Zoo. This is a zoo which although relatively small, has
attained a reputation for being one of the best in the
world and one of the reasons for that is that it has only
animals native to Belize and houses these in their natural
habitat. As well as seeing the nation’s national animal the
Tapir and its national bird the Toucan, you can also see
alligators, howler monkeys, Jaguar and other wild cats
that call Belize their home. In all, the zoo houses over 150
different species of indigenous animals, some of which
have been rescued after being injured whilst in the wild.
Jungle and Caves
There are many hikes available to take
in Belize’s jungles but perhaps the most
interesting for most visitors are the hikes to
caves located deep in the forest. Although
there are many caves there is one that has
become the most popular with visitors:
Actun Tunichil Muknal, also known as
ATM Cave. This cave is in fact a network
of caves that run under and through
Belize’s limestone Maya mountains. As
well as enjoying the beauty of these caves
and wondering at their ability to tunnel
through the mountains, many visitors
take the opportunity to enjoy the almost
unique adventure of travelling through
some of the caves on inner tubes, an
experience known as ‘cave tubing’.