How-ler They Doing? Protecting the Monkeys
The howler monkey population has thrived in Belize since the Community Baboon Sanctuary in Bermudian Landing was established in 1985 to protect these creatures after research was done in the area and it was discovered that howler monkeys lived in trees on private lands. Twelve of the villagers decided to voluntarily sign an agreement to leave their lands for the monkeys, thereby creating a sanctuary for them. Ever since then, the population of monkeys in that area has grown from eight hundred to around forty-five hundred. Bermudian Landing has become the home of the howler monkeys and tourists flock there to see the animals in their natural habitat, and to learn more about them. In this edition of Belize on Reel, News Five’s Marion Ali takes a look at how residents of Bermudian Landing protect the howler monkeys by engaging in livelihoods that do not encroach on the vegetation these animals need in order to thrive.
Marion Ali, Reporting
This is a common sound and sighting on any given day in Bermudian Landing. The people of that community decided back in 1985 that they would sacrifice portions of their privately-owned land to what is now the Community Baboon Sanctuary.
Conway Young
Conway Young, Administrative/Program Officer, Community Baboon Sanctuary, Bermudian Landing
“Research had started back in 1981 by Dr. Robert Horwich, who had actually been studying the monkeys in Mexico, but had a hard time finding monkeys on a regular basis. So he eventually came over to Belize to this village, specifically Bermudian Landing, and he started to wander around on people’s property, and it so happened that he ventured on my father’s property, and that’s how my family got involved. So from 81, leading up to 85, they did research and collecting data on monkeys, how much monkeys we had, the health of the monkeys, and so forth. Then they really found out that we had some healthy black howler monkeys, and they wanted to do something to protect these howler monkeys. And so that’s how the idea of creating a sanctuary came about.”
After twelve of the landowners signed an agreement to voluntarily give up some of their lands where the monkeys occupied, it made Belize the first country in the world to have a voluntary agreement by villagers who gave up land as a sanctuary to protect howler monkeys. Conway Young is the Administrative and Program Officer at the Community Baboon Sanctuary in Bermudian Landing. He explained that the villagers also decided to engage in livelihoods that do not infringe upon the survival of the monkeys in order to have them around for future generations. Elvis Samuels is one of those villagers who agrees that the howler monkeys ought to remain a part of the villagers, so protecting their natural habitat is a must. Samuels and Jonathan Madrill sell their artwork to visitors at the Communty Baboon Sanctuary museum in Bermudian Landing.
Elvis Samuels
Elvis Samuels, Wood Carver, Bermudian Landing
“Most of my pieces are considered wildlife. After all, we’re at the Baboon Sanctuary where nobody’s going to see whales or dolphins and sharks. So we’re trying primarily to keep it within the confines of product from the jungle. And the thing is our main clientele that we are desperately are waiting for people from the cruise ships. We’ve been down for the past four or five months. And when these people come, they’re not afforded a lot of time, but they get to see our ware. In my case in particular, I try to carve right on the spot.”
Jonathan Madrill
Jonathan Madrill, Artist, Bermudian Landing
“I paint monkeys because we want to protect the monkeys. We don’t have to cut down the land and the trees. Yeah. We don’t have to cut down trees. So, I paint the monkeys.”
Marion Ali
“Have you had close encounters with these gentle animals?”
Jonathan Madrill
“Sure.”
Marion Ali
“Tell us what that was like.”
Jonathan Madrill
“They’re nice, like human beings.”
Elvis Samuels
“The guides, they would argue to the tourists. They would let them know, or visitors, of course, they would let them know: these guys selling here prevent them from going into the bushes and cutting down the trees. I’ve never done that before. I usually rely on the woodcutter to bring for me. As a matter of fact, there are people who have said to me: are you in any way depleting the rainforest? And that’s not the case in my case, because even the smallest pieces that I can use, I use for firewood for my fire hearth. And I try to I try to work certain pieces that I am able to stretch a wood to its entirety and it lasts a little longer.”
Since the sanctuary was established, it has been a productive few decades for the howler monkeys. The population of these lovely monkeys has multiplied, from eight hundred to around forty-five hundred – enough that some of them were relocated to other parts of the country where their numbers have also reportedly grown.
Conway Young
“All the monkeys are out in the forest. So what we do is try to keep the forest connected, keep that corridor and connectivity because if there is breakage in the forest, then the monkeys put themselves at threat because then they have to come underground to get from point A to B. So by maintaining the forest linkage, then the monkeys can move freely. So what we do is we do replanting of trees. We advocate for keeping the forest intact, but not only that, we realize that in order for the sanctuary to be successful, we also have to look at the people side of it. And so we do a lot of what you call livelihood projects where the local people can do small projects, backyard projects like fish farming, chicken rearing, pig rearing, organic growing gardens. And that way now, it reduces the stress on the forest because if these people are not making an income from those backyard projects, more than likely some of them would have hunted, slash and burn out in the forest, which then has a negative effect on the forest. So by giving them the backyard projects where they can realize some economic benefits, it lessens the stress on the environment that the monkeys need.”
But why is the sanctuary called a baboon sanctuary if we’re talking about howler monkeys? Young explains that it’s a tradition that dates back to the first slaves that arrived in the area.
Conway Young
“We don’t have baboons in Belize. It was the early settlers, African slaves, so our ancestors, who call them baboons, because when they, they knew baboons back home. So when they came to this part of the world and they saw the monkeys up in the trees, the only thing they could compare it to were baboons. So they call it baboons. So anywhere you go in the country, people say baboon first, but these are actually black howler monkeys.”
Black howler monkeys are only found in three countries in this region: Southern Mexico, Eastern Guatemala, and Belize. Marion Ali for News Five.
