City kids experience wild outdoors in jaguar camp
The jungles of the Cockscomb Basin were made famous in 1986 when scientist Dr. Alan Rabinowitz published “Jaguar.” By recounting the deadly fate of several of the large cats due to logging and hunting, the researcher highlighted the need for preservation and protection of the area. His efforts were successful, but for many Belizeans today Cockscomb is still little more than a place on the map. However, as News Five’s Janelle Chanona and Chris Mangar found out this week, one local environmental organisation is determined to change the status quo.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Bright and early on Thursday morning, eighteen boys and girls waved goodbye to their parents, and the comforts of the city, and boarded a bus bound for the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve.
Camp Participant #1
“I am just expecting to have fun and to learn a lot about the birds and maybe sneak a peek at a jaguar.”
Camp Participant #2
“To actually see a jaguar and learn more about its habitat.”
Camp Participant #3
“I’m just looking forward to seeing jaguars and enjoying nature.”
Camp Participant #4
“I’m looking forward to have fun and learn new things about the birds and the jaguars.”
Janelle Chanona
“Why do you think it’s important for kids to do things like this?”
Dorla Wallace, Parent of Participant
“So that they could learn about their country and the wildlife.”
Janelle Chanona
“Are you nervous sending them out?
Dorla Wallace
“Yeah cause it’s the first time she going anywhere for an overnight.”.
Janelle Chanona
“Weh you thing ih wah do if ih see wah jaguar?”
Dorla Wallace, Parent of Participant
“Maybe get excited, I no think ih wah run.”
The two day camp was organized by the Belize Audubon Society as an educational introduction to the outdoors.
Dirk Francisco, Publicity Coordinator, Belize Audubon Society
“The camp is a national focus and through the camp, we’re trying to harness kids appreciation for the environment so that later on they could be the eventual managers of these natural resources that Belize have.”
After a three hour bus ride, the campers pulled into the village of Maya Centre, where the resident Women’s Group was waiting.
The original settlers of the community had once lived in the wildlife reserve but subsequent conservation efforts led to their relocation near the entrance to the park along the Southern highway. With the change in scenery came a shift from traditional subsistence farming to craft production and tourism. Leading the charge are the members of the Maya Centre Women’s Group.
Alberta Saqui, Vice Chairlady, Maya Centre Women’s Group
“Today the members of the group have grown from fifteen to fifty members. It comprise of teenagers, middle age and elderly. Our immediate plan is to have access to the internet for better promotion and marketing of our arts and crafts.”
As an initiation to the Mopan Maya way of life, participants were treated to a traditional cultural dance…
…before learning the art of slate carving.
Erepilda Bolon, Slate Carver
“This piece of stone is called the slate so we get these stones from the river about fifteen to twenty-five miles from our village. And then when we get them, we just don’t go and pick them up, you have cut some of these stones to get them. Some of them are big and some come in small pieces. So whichever piece the person wants, they take the piece they want to use so when they reach to Maya Centre now, they use these types of tools to draw and then start their carving.”
“Now this is waiting for the sandpaper and the polishing; after that then it is finished.”
After the drawings are stencilled onto the slate using carbon paper, the hard work begins but the kids are up for the challenge.
Casandra Cadle, Camp Participant
“Once you get the hang of it, it’s easy to follow.”
Janelle Chanona
“Does it hurt your fingers?”
Casandra Cadle
“Yeah it hurt your fingers but good pain not bad.”
The children will keep their carvings as a souvenir of their visit to Cockscomb.
The remote park covers more than one hundred and twenty-eight thousand acres of land and boasts an impressive array of wildlife. The site was officially declared a protected area for the sanctuary’s most renowned resident, the jaguar, in 1986. Today international experts continue to visit Cockscomb to search for more clues about the life of the elusive creatures.
Nicacio Coc, Director, Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary
“These researchers are saying that we have about approximately fifty to sixty jaguars within the area.”
Janelle Chanona
“And that is healthy?”
Nicacio Coc
“That is healthy. According to our jaguar researcher, Dr. Bart from W.C.S., he said that Cockscomb may have its carrying capacity.”
Janelle Chanona
“For the amount of jaguars?
Nicacio Coc
“For the amount of jaguars because each jaguar would need approximately fourteen to seventeen square miles to sustain itself.”
“The jaguars are rarely seen in Cockscomb. That is because it’s the way how management set up the trail system. It’s right at the end of the park, the very end of the park. You don’t want to create trails way inside that will impact nature.”
And to make sure nature didn’t impact on the Audubon campers, Park Director Nicacio Coc gave the participants the mandatory safety talk before they hit the trail to visit one of the park’s many waterfalls.
Nicacio Coc
“We have over sixty-five species of snakes in Belize and we have those sixty-five types of snakes in the Cockscomb so please watch your footsteps, don’t go off the trail.”
It’s a rigorous hike…
…but well worth the effort.
But protecting the pristine ecosystem has had its problems.
Nicacio Coc
“Our major challenge is encroachment like what you are saying, illegal. Basically from three areas, which is xateros, we have local hunters as well as seasonal workers from companies in the buffer area so yes a lot of illegal hunting. Not in commercial size but then it’s still happening.”
Janelle Chanona
“Do you try to work with those areas to tell them why they shouldn’t do that?”
Nicacio Coc
“Yes, in fact we have our liaison community officer who goes and does public awareness, environmental education and stuff like that, meet with these people. We have also groups. We call it the local advisory committee n every community that are working with us to see how we can best manage this place together with them.”
While most visitors to Cockscomb are foreigners, park rangers report that over the last three years, there has been an increase in Belizean interest.
Janelle Chanona
“What would you like to say to other boys and girls who have never been here before?”
Tifara Hamilton, Camp Participant
“I would like to say, next year, you can come and have fun just like us too and come and see what is Cockscomb all about.”
Trip to Cockscomb: $85
Snacks: $10
Off: $3.99
Making unforgettable memories: priceless.
Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
This is the third year the Belize Audubon Society has organised the jaguar camp. If you would like to sign-up for next year’s event please contact Dirk Francisco at 223-4988.
