But while there are certainly more questions than answers, the clouds are beginning to clear away from what is actually taking place on the rosewood scene. This afternoon a release from the Forest Department, sans official letterhead, declared that an amnesty period is in effect for rosewood harvested before March fourteenth, 2013. The release states […]
Each year the Protected Areas Conservation Trust, PACT, awards project grants to organizations to support the conservation and promotion of environmentally sound management of Belize’s natural and cultural resources. While the organizations who receive that much coveted funding assistance may change from year to year, the goal they work toward remains the same. This year […]
The conch season will be closed from July first to September thirtieth, but three persons have been arrested and fined for fishing undersized conch in southern Belize. The bust was made by the Southern Environmental Association, known as SEA, which co-manages various marine areas. Two persons, who were caught with nine hundred and eleven undersized […]
Throughout the year, manatees are injured or killed at sea by water traffic. The rehabilitation of injured manatee falls largely on the shoulders of a conservation group that treats them to be released back into the wild. It could be a long process but it is certainly costly. The center is located up north and […]
On March fifth, a black howler monkey was captured and savagely beaten allegedly at the hands of four third form students of the Belize High School of Agriculture in southern Orange Walk. But despite immediate rehabilitation, the endangered species did not survive the attack and perished exactly one week later, on March twelfth. Video circulated […]
Move over Grammy Awards…it’s time to celebrate music in Belize and there’s no better place to do that than the third annual Belize Music Awards. The event kicks off with a red carpet affair at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday night, and with all the hype and talent in the lineup, […]
As we reported in our previous newscasts, residents of Orange Walk, as well as various conservation organizations, have expressed outrage over an act of extreme animal cruelty, which led to the death of a howler monkey at the hands of a group of teenagers. The incident occurred at the Belize High School of Agriculture in […]
The investigation by the Forest Department into the beating of a black howler monkey and its subsequent death from injuries sustained has concluded. It is believed that charges will be levied against four third form students and a teacher who were involved in the incident. The fine for the offense is one thousand dollars each […]
In January and early February it seemed that rosewood was in the news nightly, with somebody either harvesting it illegally, burning it, sneaking it out of the country or discovering it by the container-load. But since then there’s barely been a murmur about rosewood. Now is that because the smugglers have gotten craftier or because […]
And that donation of communication equipment could not have come at a better time, as today the Fisheries Department hosted a seminar on communication with its partner agencies including the BDF boat wing, the Police, the Coast Guard, the Port Authority and Customs Department. The workshop is targeted at improving the link between these agencies, […]
A black howler monkey was allegedly savagely beaten by four third form students of the Belize High School of Agriculture in southern Orange Walk has not survived the attack. After being stabilized at a clinic in Belize City last week, the monkey was transferred to a rehabilitation facility run by the Forest Department in Corozal. […]
On Tuesday evening, a black howler monkey was allegedly captured and savagely beaten by four students of a school in southern Orange Walk. Even worse than that, reports suggested that a teacher instructed the students to stone the monkey and beat it with sticks since it had defecated on him while he was taking a […]
And while Oceana celebrated the seas, there was a very wild celebration on the mainland. Our camera friendly buddies at the Belize Zoo were gyrating to the sound of the voices of preschoolers from La Democracia on Wednesday morning. The singing group called “The Gibnuts” regaled Junior Buddy, the ambassador Jaguar and Panama, the Harpee […]
Belize became the first country in the world to completely ban bottom trawling in December 2010. A statutory instrument made it illegal to carry out trawling in Belizean waters. The initiative was the brainchild of Oceana Belize which bought the last two operational trawlers from a local fishing cooperative. But in the south of the […]
A mosquito borne disease is posing a threat to the health of horses and humans. The virus that is known as V.E.E. has been detected in two districts but it has the potential to spread if preventative measures are not taken. The Belize Agricultural Health Authority is on alert. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports. […]
There is an outbreak of the Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis which is a mosquito borne viral disease that can affect humans and equines. VEE is also known to be severely debilitating and can be fatal. The virus that causes VEE is transmitted primarily by mosquitoes that bite an infected animal and then feed on another animal […]
The Belize Fisheries Department reminds fisher-folk that the lobster season closes today and continues through to June fourteenth. According to fisheries, the law states that no person shall catch, buy, sell or have in their possession the spiny lobster. To do so would be an offense that is liable on summary conviction. The department also […]
Belize which boasts one of the world’s wonder’s, the Barrier Reef, was given more prominence when it was declared a World Heritage Site. But soon after in June 2009, UNESCO included Belize on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger. Commercial land sale and development within sensitive parts of the reef along with site […]
In some parts of the world, manatees are endangered species. Belize enjoys a healthy manatee population, but mariners who speed along the coast and mangrove regularly come into contact with the mammal. The Sea to Shore Alliance and the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute have been recording deaths caused by boat collisions. The organizations […]
The Ministry of Forestry has been clamping on the illegal but lucrative harvesting and exportation of rosewood. But despite a moratorium in place since last year, the illegal activities have continued at a brisk pace and containers of the precious wood have been seized in the south, at the western border and adjacent to the […]
As for the rosewood at the western border and the two containers stored and confiscated at Belize Engineering Limited adjacent to the customs compound in Belize City, the Chief Forestry officer says the D.P.P. is looking into the matter. Wilbur Sabido, Chief Forest Officer “The other situation is the one that is more known […]
The Sea to Shore alliance and the Coastal Zone Institute of Management and Authority have recorded its second manatee death for 2013. The adult mammal was initially rescued in Vista Del Mar in August 2012. With the help of BATSUB and the Belize Coastguard, two manatees were transported to a rehabilitation facility in Sarteneja, Corozal. […]
There was a scare earlier today that another container or possibly two of rosewood had been detected up north. The report is that the containers were discovered in Carmelita, Orange Walk. When we checked, we were told that a team from the Ministry of Forestry will be deployed to Carmelita on Thursday to confirm the […]
Last week, the Minister of Forestry, Lisel Alamilla, disclosed that someone had shot at the offices of the Ya’axche Conservation Trust in Golden Stream. Today, the Association of Protected Areas Management Organization joined the minister in condemning the violence. APAMO expressed disappointment that anyone would attack the organization which is dedicated to achieving conservation goals […]
Manatee killings do not make headlines, but over twenty of the peaceful creatures were fatally injured by boats in 2012. The first monitored manatee accident for 2013 was recorded on Wednesday by the Dolphin Park in West Landivar. Jamal Galves, a manatee research associate for Sea to Shore Alliance and Coastal Zone Management Authority and […]
