Baby Jaguar!
We only have to do entries for the days when we don't have lectures. Here you go.
June 19, 2007
Today we went to the Community Baboon Sanctuary, it is refreshing to see an entire community come together to support conservation. In the U.S. mostly individual groups, zoos, and wildlife programs promote conservation, rather than each family and community taking the responsibility to support wildlife and endangered species. At first, we toured the school, and the kids sang us a few songs (they were adorable). We then went into the forest to see the howler monkeys. I had gone to the Pittsburgh Zoo a week before I left and saw the black howlers there, and I was interested to see how their environment and actions differed here in their natural habitat. At the zoo, the enclosure was very scarce; there were no leaves on the trees there (the docent guiding us told us that they would eat any leafy trees there in a short amount of time). However, the forest we were in today was very lush. I could tell that they have many different food choices (though they seemed to love the bananas we brought). Although the monkeys at the zoo would come right up to the glass, I was surprised at how close the wild howlers came to us, but that’s probably because they are the group more used to humans feeding them. I didn’t hear the monkeys howl at the zoo, and their calls were different than I thought they would be. It was a very hollow sound, rather than what I would normally think of as a howl.
After we had lunch, we went on a “jungle trek”, which was… less than enjoyable. I couldn’t hear the guide very well, and then we were attacked by a sundry of organisms. I started to get very anxious when I heard that the guide was lost, and then my glasses fogged up, effectively blinding me, and I skillfully managed to run myself straight into a palm trees spines (which was “the straw that broke the camels back” for me, so as to speak). Exhausted and wounded, and I was happy to get some rest on the bus ride home. I think it would have much better if we had tried to find a less tame group of howlers and observed and compared their behavior to the first group we saw.
June 20, 2007
This morning we went to Chaa Creek and saw their Blue Morpho Butterfly Project. I thought it was interesting how much work the caterpillars have to do just to make it to their adult butterfly stage, and that they only live 21 days as butterflies. In general, insects don’t really interest me, but I can see why people want to conserve the blue morphos (they are the prettiest butterflies I’ve seen). It makes wonder if there are other species that are more in need of conservation that don’t get as much support because they aren’t as brilliant looking.
This afternoon we went to the San Ignacio Resort Hotel to see their Green Iguana Breeding Project. I’ve seen a few iguanas in the wild so far, but they were a dull green-gray color, and the iguanas at the hotel were mostly vibrant green, but that is because they are much younger. They are very adorable when they are young, I can see why people like to have them as pets, but I think it would be hard to care for them if they got very large (especially with those strong tails).
June 25, 2007
Today was our first day at the Belize Zoo. I wasn’t sure what to expect, since I’m used to zoos in the U.S. The animals here were came a lot closer than I’m used to at U.S. zoos, and the enclosures here are much more natural, since they have animals that are native to the region, unlike U.S. zoos. In the morning, my group had a tour of the zoo. I was impressed with the number and variety of animals they have, but the show stealer was definitely Junior, the young jaguar. As a cat lover who could never have a cat (my mom’s allergic) kittens of any size always entrance me. However, all of the animals were captivating (except for maybe the peccaries, their smell wasn’t very inviting). In the afternoon, I prepared food and helped to feed some of the cats. The keepers’ work hard, but they seem to enjoy their jobs thoroughly. Antelin (sp?) took us to feed the margays and ocelots, which were mostly skittish around us, waiting for us to leave before they enjoyed their meal (mostly containing chicken innards). The jaguars, however, were much more outgoing. Some were very aggressive, grabbing the food, and growling at us if they thought we were to close to their food (mostly the more recent additions to the zoo), while a few were more tame. We also fed and played with Junior (the best part of the day!). At first, he was a little aggressive with him, because we didn’t give him his food right away and he knew it was there. After he finished his meal, he played with us, pouncing on our legs, and gnawing on our shoes. As adorable he is now, I know he’ll be a big, powerful, bone-crushing jaguar soon enough. I feel lucky to have seen him at his current age.
So basically, petting baby jaguar=best thing evar! he was totally attacking my shoe, he wouldn't let go! Soooooooooooooooooo cute! We're going to the zoo again tomorrow, but we won't be doing as much hands on stuff :-( but we might be able to see a couple of castrations (grey fox and coatimundis) :-) yes, i am that weird, i like to watch animals get castrated.
Love you!,
Sammy Jane