Animal Encounters are Where You Get to Interact with the Animals

BELIZE INFORMATION & FACTS

Amphibians of Belize
Birds of Belize
Mammals of Belize
Reptiles of Belize
Insects of Belize
Butterflies of Belize
Marine Animals of Belize
Whale Sharks
Snakes of Belize
Trees of Belize
Orchids of Belize

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SEARCHING FOR WILDLIFE

Animals in the forests are predominately nocturnal.  When they are active in the daytime, they are usually elusive and on the watch for predators.  Birds are easier to spot in clearings or secondary forest than they are in primary forests.  Unless you have lots of experience in the tropics, your best hope for enjoying a walk through the jungle lies in employing a trained and knowledgeable guide.  (By the way, if it's been raining alot and the trails are muddy, a good pair of rubber boots comes in handy.  These are usually provided by the various lodges or at the sites, where necessary.)

Here are a few helpful hints:

1. Listen.  Pay attention to rustling leaves; whether it's monkeys above or pizotes on the ground, you're most likely to hear an animal before seeing one.
   
2. Keep quiet.  Noise will scare off animals and prevent you from hearing their movements and calls.
   
3. Soften your focus and allow your peripheral vision to take over.  This will allow you can catch glimpses of motion and then focus in on the animal.
   
4. Bring binoculars & practice using them before you come.  Don't miss something wonderful because you don't know how to use your binoculars.
   
5. Dress appropriately.  You can't focus on your binoculars, if you're busy swatting mosquitoes. 
   
6. Dress light, long pants, long-sleeved shirts are your best bet. Comfortable hiking boots are a real bonus, except where heavy rubber boots are necessary. 
   
7. Don't wear loud bright colors; the better you blend in with your surroundings,  You'll have a better chance of spotting wildlife.
   
8. Be patient.  The jungle isn't on a schedule.  however, your best shots at seeing forest fauna are in the very early-morning and late -afternoon hours.
   
9. Read up.  Familiarize yourself with what you're most likely to see. 
   

A book we recommend is to have a copy of "Bird of Belize" by H. Lee Jones, and other wildlife field guides.  Another good all-around book to have is Les Beletsky's Belize and Norther Guatemala:  "The Eco-travellers' Wildlife Guide."