Description: Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Centre (to give it the full title) is one of the major attractions in the Belize City region. Located a few kilometres outside the city, it is between an area of swamp/wetland and the edge of the jungle. What sets it apart from other zoos it that you will only find native Belizean animals there, and many of the animals are not kept in cages.
The signs all around the zoo are written in Belizian dialect and give the local name for the animal as well as an insight into their characters.
My favourite animals were the beautiful, sleek black jaguar and the charismatic scarlet macaw (parrot). It seems as though the animals come to have a look at you as much as you looking at them, and pose for your camera. There is a chance however, that you may not see some of the animals that are there, as the enclosures have been designed to look as much like the dense natural forest as possible, and they often sneak away to the sides backing on to the jungle.
Other unusual animals include the tapir (the national animal of Belize), peccaries (wild pigs), a kinkajou (the 'nightwalker' in Belizean), and the 6ft tall jabiru stork.
The tropical education centre at the zoo is very good, spreading the message for the importance of conservation of species and habitats throughout the world.
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