Turtles, manatees, crocodiles receive help
On a good day a lucky naturalist in Belize might get to see all three rare aquatic species. But if you don’t want to face those odds and inconvenience, you could learn all you need to know about turtles, crocodiles and manatees without even getting your feet wet. News 5’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Wanted for either food or jewellery, over-hunting and destruction of their habitat has greatly reduced the numbers of Belize’s crocodiles, manatee, and sea turtles. Now four conservation groups have this week joined efforts to promote their preservation.
Wildlife Biologist with the Forest Department, Marcelo Windsor, says we need to learn to live with crocodiles.
Marcelo Windsor, Wildlife Biologist
“The simple message is that us people should not molest the animals and in turn we should not feed them, either consciously or unconsciously. We should not throw away our dead chickens and animals into the canals because we are feeding these animals and after a while these animals do not have anymore fear of humans and that’s when potential disasters may result. And then it is the animal who is actually blamed rather than the human.”
According to Information Specialist with the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute, Tanya Williams, public awareness campaigns have helped in lowering the numbers of manatee killed this year.
Tanya Williams, Information Specialist, C.Z.M.A.I.
“Previously we saw many boat accidents occurring, and now and again in the south we had some hunting going on, but we believe most of those hunting incidents were carried out by people from Guatemala and Honduras. So far I think Belizeans on a whole are looking at protection and preservation of manatees.”
“We use youths as a way of getting to the parents because when you go home you will tell mommy this is what I learned. Don’t kill manatees, et cetera, et cetera. So it’s looking at the different target groups and stakeholders that we can target with our education programme.”
Meanwhile, Isaias Majil, a Fisheries Officer at Bacalar Chico Reserve, says enforcement of laws against over-fishing has been effective in protecting the sea turtle.
Isaias Majil, Fisheries Officer
“The sea turtle stock that we had in Belize was depleted in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. And now the population has been declining nearly to extinction in our country.”
“One of the things that the Fisheries Department has been doing is to have the enforcement unit out, telling the fishermen about the regulations that protect these sea turtles.”
Marion Ali for News 5.
Educational displays on the protection of the three animals are underway this week at Saint Mary’s Hall in Belize City, the Gales Point Cooperative building, Tide’s office in Punta Gorda, the Caye Caulker Community Centre, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve office in San Pedro, the Placencia Community Centre, Corozal Town Hall, Wildtracks Centre in Sarteneja, and at the U.B. Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Central Farm.
