Sharon Matola, Founder of the Belize Zoo, Dead at 66!

Sharon Matola

Tonight, News Five is saddened to report on the passing of a trailblazer, an icon, whom we have reported on since the inception of our news station.  Over the almost three decades, we have shown you how Sharon Matola has advocated for the conservation and protection of Belize’s wildlife.  Matola, the founding director of the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, passed away on Sunday afternoon. Later in our newscast, we’ll bring you a full story – a summary of her countless contributions to Belize – with her colleagues and friends reflecting on the pioneer that she was.  But before that, we hear from her family at the Belize Zoo.  Celso Poot, the Operations and Finance Manager, has worked alongside Matola for more than twenty-years.

Celso Poot

Celso Poot, Operations and Finance Manager, The Belize Zoo

“The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education was basically Sharon’s life. She visited Belize in 1982 and in 1983 started the Belize Zoo. Later on in 1987 they added the Topical Education Center. Sharon dedicated her life to the protection and conservation to Belize’s wildlife to protection and conservation of Belize’s wildlife and their habitat through the educational ambassador animals at the Belize Zoo.   Back in the 90’s Sharon was the lead expert for the Central American Tapir in the world and after the battle with the Challilo Dam – she basically put tapir research and scarlet macaw research aside and I was able to pick up tapir research after that and I continued the work that she started tapir in Belize. So, she molded a lot of what I am doing now.”