Welcoming in the New Year...

Happy New Year!!

As we enter 2024, we have exciting news acoss all our programmes!

Our two rehab manatee calves, Tess and Toby, are approaching soft release – they will have their first days out in the soft release lagoon later this month / early next month. Before then they will be caught and ‘pit tagged’, so that that can be scanned and identified in the future, and fitted with soft release trackers that provide satellite data on where they go in the soft release lagoon. Also on the marine side, we are currently caring for two large turtles (a loggerhead and a green turtle), for the Belize Fisheries Department, as they recover from their injuries.

Injured green turtle being cared for for the Belize Fisheries Department

On the primate front, our Nursery Troop, Sprout and Meadow, are slowly transitioning to the Forest Enclosures – it may take them another month or so to permanently leave the Nursey, but they are enjoying their days spent playing in the larger Forest Enclosure. Rosie, the third Nursery monkey, has already moved out, and been adopted by Leah – a non-releasable adult who lost her sight after severe head trauma before rescue.

We have two pairs of howler monkeys in pre-release enclosures (Archie and Anerie, and Mowgli and Maisie) being prepared for release later this month in Fireburn / the Northeastern Biological Corridor. These will be followed by the four younger spider monkeys from Satellite Four – Cas, Kam, Ellie and Daisy. The 10-year assessment of release success for the Yucatan black howler monkeys is nearing its end - Wildtracks has released 86 howler monkeys into the Fireburn area, part of the North-Eastern Biological Corridor, between 2011 and 2023 through a carefully designed rehabilitation-reintroduction process. Over the ten-months of finding, tracking and collecting data on the released howler monkeys in the Northeast Biological Corridor, a total of 116 individual howler monkeys were identified within 21 troops that ranged in size from 1-10 individuals. 45.6% of the population were either juveniles or infants, and therefore born in Fireburn.

As we expand our capacity for taking non-target species (particularly coatis, raccoons, foxes and the occasional grison) we have been able to add forest enclosures and a pre-release enclosure to our Small Mammal Unit through Burgers’ Zoo.

2024 brings with it the construction of the replacement wildlife rehabilitation building, funded through grants from the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future, Twycross Zoo and Burgers’ Zoo. To make way for the new building, we had to sweep out the old....and give thanks to all those who knew, worked in, loved (and hated) the old Manatee Building. To those who knew it as the Education building, those who filled the room with Walt Disney songs as they mixed manatee milk or chopped fruit (and those who were really irritated by those who sang Walt Disney songs), to those who danced to the songs and those who danced to their own beat....thank you for all the memories this building held! For those who will join us in the future, creating new memories...we look forward to your arrival!

Schematic for the new Wildtracks rehabilitation centre

Ongoing construction of the new building

As part of the End of the Year Appeal for equipping the building, all donations this month are going towards the Appeal. The building will require around US$10,000 to ensure it is fully equipped for operations - solar power installation, shelving, storage, animal care equipment...we are already US$6,200 towards our total – many thanks for all those who have donated!

On the Conservation Planning side, Wildtracks finalized the revision of Belize’s Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, in collaboration with the Belize Forest Department, and drafted Belize’s first Wildlife Policy. The revisions include a ban on circus animals and the use of animals for testing products, addresses cruelty to wildlife, management of exotic species and the recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples to manage wildlife within their lands. This still has to go through legal review and pass through Government, but it is a huge step forward!!

2023 in review

In other news, we congratulate our directors, Paul and Zoe Walker, who have both received MBEs as part of the King's New Year's Honours list this year, in recognition of their contribution to biodiversity and conservation in Belize! In their words… “We feel very honoured to be entrusted by the Government of Belize to provide rescue, rehabilitation and release services for some of its amazing wildlife, including endangered manatees, spider monkeys and howler monkeys. It has also been an inspiring adventure in the world of conservation planning across Belize's tropical forests, seas, and species....protected areas, conservation organizations and communities....and one that hasn't yet finished.

Whilst the awards have our names on them, they reflect the commitment of the Belize Government and the many conservation organizations and individuals we have collaborated with over the years, the work they do and the impacts they make. The awards also reflect the hard work and commitment of the volunteers and supporters who have made Wildtracks what it is today, and the greatly appreciated support from our local communities of Sarteneja and Fireburn.”

Tracking in the Wind

The challenges of tracking in the wind

As the wind increases and the trees move, howler monkeys shelter in palm trees, catching up on sleep - a challenge for the tracking team…

Alisha and Delmar are back from the field, where the howler monkey census continues. They have now identified 11 troops, and over 60 individual monkeys...they have taken photographs, GPS points, observed troop dynamics...and are starting to recognize individuals. Then there are the surprises, like the arrival of a mother with her tiny newborn. Each trip brings a new experience. Alisha is continuing her blog as she encounters new challenges…

As a novice monkey tracker I rely mainly on the sound of breaking branches from howlers moving in the trees, the sound of fruit dropping to the ground or the munching of leaves to find and follow the howler monkeys. Unfortunately this week I have learnt that all of these techniques have proven to be completely useless in strong, loud winds. Not to mention that spotting a sleeping monkey in a tree (which I am already not very good at) is even trickier, with the added bonus of monkeys taking shelter from the wind in palms.

As a result of the wind, this weeks weather has been the most difficult so far for tracking howler monkeys. We have lost (and eventually found) troops more often than I would have liked and there were a few times when for a brief moment I felt like giving up. In these moments I had to remind myself that this task isn’t meant to be easy and pushing through and staying positive always seems to do the trick. And I tell you what - I think finding a monkey after losing it is even more exciting than finding it in the first place.

This week made me realise that I still have a lot to learn as a tracker, but it taught me a lot and has hopefully made me a better traacker in the future. I have gained much more appreciation for the calmer days, and I am maybe a little more aware that we still have a lot of windier and wetter days to come. I look forward to seeing what they will teach me!

Best Beginnings

Best Beginnings

An infant howler monkey exactly where he should be - with his mother in the forests of Fireburn.

Alisha Huotari is continuing her assessment of the reintroduced Yucatan black howler monkeys at Fireburn, as part of an initiative to strengthen the resilience of both this species and the North East Biological Corridor in Belize. Her second blog from the field highlights the role rehabilitated monkeys can have in rewilding - the ability of wild animals to return to the wild and contribute to the long term viability of endangered species should never be underestimated.

Standing in Fireburn witnessing this infant with his mother seems extra special after spending time volunteering in the Primate Nursery Unit at Wildtracks, where infant monkeys have either been confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade or found injured and rescued. While they may not be lucky enough to have their mothers, they receive intensive care from the staff and volunteer team, tailored to their individual needs as they go through the different stages of rehabilitation. This process is essential for the howlers to not only be able to survive in the wild, but also to thrive in the wild. As a result of this hard work, their futures are bright!

The past track record of Wildtracks shows that it is possible to take in young confiscated howler monkeys and help them learn the skills they need to be part of a wild howler population. Many of the rehabilitated and released primates in Fireburn had a beginning that started with their capture for the illegal wildlife trade, poor care and confiscation by the Forest Department, to then continue after confiscation in the Primate Nursery Unit. It's pretty amazing to think that these infants are now part of the wild population and raising their own young in Fireburn. In the troops we have found so far, babies are booming. Not only does this highlight the success of the rehabilitation programme and the Wildtracks reintroduction, but also gives hope for the future of this endangered species.

The Value of Volunteering

The Value of Volunteering

I am living proof that volunteering with conservation organisations like Wildtracks can help put you on the right track to achieving your dream job.

I am living proof that volunteering with conservation organisations like Wildtracks can help put you on the right track to achieving your dream job. For years, while I was studying and working in international development, I struggled to marry my passion for marine conservation and my work in natural disaster research. Most of the time I ended up spending more time and effort on my volunteer jobs outside of work than my actual paid job. One day, nearing the end of my contract, I searched an international environmental job website to see what kinds of conservation and research jobs were out there. I was so amazed and inspired to see all of these incredible positions as cetacean observers, project coordinators for coastal monitoring work, wildlife rehabilitation, research assistants in biological data collection projects, marine conservation advocacy, etc. I looked at all of these different types of dream jobs and studied the qualifications and requirements for each of them. I wanted to merge my passion into my profession but wasn’t sure how. After looking at the trends in the requirements, a mental light bulb clicked on - I clearly needed to get the relevant education and field experience in marine biology in order to get these jobs, instead of pleading with potential employers about my passion and transferable skills. That is how the simple activity of a job search inspired me to go back to school to get an MSc in Marine Environmental Management.

As a part of my graduate program, we were required to participate in a research placement. I have always been drawn to working in the Caribbean and Central America, so I did a wide-scale and detailed search of all the marine conservation organisations, labs, foundations and projects taking place in the region. That is how I found Wildtracks! I got in touch with Zoe, and she and Paul agreed to take me on as a visiting researcher/volunteer. I was extremely lucky that the timing of my visit coincided with the development of the Conservation Action Plan for West Indian manatees in the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. My research was to assess data and priorities of biological indicators in the protected area, work with manatee experts and local conservation actors, interview local fishermen about manatee bycatch and observations, and analyze existing data on manatees and their environments collected by Wildtracks or other government projects in the past. Additionally, I was able to lead education and outreach activities with local school children in the context of a football tournament in town, playing games and giving quizzes to the kids to teach them about marine conservation and manatees. To top it off, I participated in the hands-on rehabilitation work for two adorable manatees that were on the farm at the time – Twiggy and Duke. Nothing compares to sitting on the edge of the lagoon at 5am, while a manatee hugs your legs and happily takes down its banana smoothy breakfast from the bottle you’re holding! It was an incredible opportunity to do a crazy amount of things in a short period of time, and I loved it!

I definitely appreciated the diversity of experiences I gained from the volunteer opportunity with Wildtracks, which is often the case when you volunteer for smaller conservation organisations or biological stations. They are working to do so many things, usually with very limited resources, thus need all the help they can get from motivated people who are willing to learn. Since this was my first foray into biological field work, I still needed more field experience and relevant marine expertise in order to qualify myself for certain jobs in marine research. The job market was extremely tough those days, not that different to now, and without a degree in biology is was difficult to get my foot in the door. I finally came to grips with the fact that I needed to look for unpaid internships in order to get the targeted experience that I lacked.

My next step was to find a somewhat long-term internship that focused on marine biological field work, preferably in my region of choice. I found a great opportunity at a the Cano Palma Biological Station in Costa Rica (www.coterc.org). The station, located in a rainforest with access to the Caribbean sea, organized several types of research that included long term monitoring projects for nesting sea turtles, caimen, shore birds, terrestrial mammals, rainforest flora, and reptiles. As a volunteer there, I was able to learn about all of these projects, but became focused on and passionate about the sea turtle research. Within a short time of proving myself as a dedicated and hard-working intern on the sea turtle team, I was offered a position as the project coordinator for the following year. I would not have been offered this position without my experience as an intern there, so am very thankful that I decided to put in my time as an unpaid intern.

After gaining the valuable biological field and data management experience in Costa Rica, while making the most of the opportunity to be involved in several research projects at the station, I was able to show more depth in my resume as a marine scientist. This allowed me to feel confident in applying for other field jobs, and land the job I currently have as a project coordinator for Wildlife Conservation Society Nicaragua (http://nicaragua.wcs.org). Now I am responsible for a long-term hawksbill sea turtle monitoring project in the beautiful Pearl Cays, working with paid staff from local communities, helping in alternative livelihoods projects for ex-turtle fishermen, and focusing on biological field work, as well as the many other aspects of management required to keep a project going (financial planning, grant writing, working with local authorities and stakeholders, public outreach, data management, reporting, etc.). I get to work with sea turtles every day during the season – either observing the beautiful nesting process, collecting biological data and tagging individuals, helping to protect tiny hatchlings as they scurry to the sea, and working in the community to help ensure that these endangered creatures have a better future here. The project is a real conservation success story, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.

I truly believe that none of this would have been possible without the experiences gained during my time as an intern a both Wildtracks and Cano Palma. So, if you’re thinking to yourself that it might not be worth it to take time out and invest money in volunteering, I would seriously advise you to think again. These kinds of unpaid opportunities offer you so much more than just the face value of being a volunteer on a certain project or within a particular sector. Having experience living and working in basic or difficult conditions, working with groups of people from different countries or walks of life, learning to be resourceful in achieving goals with a limited budget, having the opportunity to be involved in several different projects at one time, and maybe even improving a new language or cultural understanding – these are all things that potential employers value when looking over applications for research and conservation jobs. Volunteering definitely changed my life and propelled me onto this path to attaining a dream job for this point in my career – and if you’re dedicated and focused on making the most of your experiences, I’m sure that it could do the same for you!

First published in 2016

Meeting Kamal, by Laura Rack

Meeting Kamal

Meeting Kamal for the first time, the day after his confiscation, was a shock - he felt fragile, weak, and uncomfortable. He was nothing but skin and bones.

The first time I held Kamal was on January 28, 2016. He was a young spider monkey confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, and estimated to be about eight months old, very similar in age to Cas, the other young spider monkey in the Primate Rehabilitation Centre at Wildtracks. During my first two and a half months at Wildtracks, before Kamal arrived, I was a part of the six-person Primate Nursery Unit team caring for Cas and the other nursery monkeys. Cas was thriving at Wildtracks, learning new life skills and gaining more confidence every day. 

After working with Cas, meeting Kamal the day after his confiscation was a shock - he was emaciated, scared, and extremely confused. He had a bad case of scabies that left him with no hair on his tail, arms, and legs, and a bloated belly from worms. It is very hard to put the experience into words. He felt fragile, weak, and uncomfortable. He was nothing but skin and bones. 

During Kamal’s first month at Wildtracks, he was kept in quarantine to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Because of his young age, Kamal spent all of his waking hours with a caregiver - one of three of us. In the wild, he would have been attached to his mother until he was over a year old - this social support is very important in ensuring his development, and is replicated by the caregiver. Over time, Kamal grew more comfortable with me and I grew more comfortable with him. His moments of panic decreased and he became comfortable with his back and tail being touched, as well as being transferred between caregivers. Kamal grew a lot in that first month, both physically and emotionally. He went from being slow and unsteady in his movements to having the energy to play most of the day.

Finally, the day Kamal was officially out of quarantine arrived. This was exciting for a few reasons. First this meant he had been cleared of the parasites and the scabies he came in with, and second, he could now meet Cas. the first time Wildtracks had two young spider monkeys in rehabilitation at the same time. It also meant that I didn’t have to be in quarantine any more either! 

Kamal and Cas met under a coconut palm tree on the grass near the lagoon. It was an incredible moment. Kamal ran straight for Cas, wrapped his arms around him, and did not let go for a few moments. Their first meeting lasted for about five minutes. This was the first time since they were taken from their mothers that either Kamal or Cas had met another spider monkey. 

Kamal was very eager to play with Cas, but he still had some things to learn. It was a good thing that he was a quick learner, so the short integrations did not last long. Within the next three days Kamal and Cas were spending all day together. They had their moments of frustration in the beginning, but these were short lived and pretty infrequent.

About two weeks after Kamal and Cas were integrated, it was time for me to leave Wildtracks. I could see that Kamal was starting to form a strong bond with Cas, and was no longer happy playing by himself or with me for extended periods of time. They both have a long way to go in their rehabilitation process, but I hope with the two of them together they will move forward successfully towards their return to the wild.

Republished from original, 2016

Measuring Success of Primate Rehabilitation

Measuring Success of Rehabilitation

The howler monkey releases are part of an endangered species reintroduction programme with an exceptionally high success rate of 95% post-release survival through the first year, and first and second-generation babies born in the wild in a flourishing new population at the release site in Fireburn, part of Belize’s northeastern biological corridor. How do we know this?

We invest in post-release monitoring to ensure we can track howler monkeys from the moment of release for the first two months - almost every day. We watch as they establish their territories and settle in to being wild monkeys, and use the information we learn to inform our next releases. We then continue to check in on them to ensure they are doing well during their first year. After the initial five years, we assessed the population, with 85% of released monkeys being identified and doing well (Tricone, 2015) - and a further two turning up after the survey, taking the total to 95% survival in the first five years. A ten year survey was planned, and postponed as a result of Covid-19, but we are now back in the field, ready to start the census of Fireburn howler monkeys, identifying the troops and plotting their territories.

Alisha Huotari, from the University of Salford, has joined us to lead the seven months of field survey work as part of her Masters Thesis. No stranger to Wildtracks, she has volunteered with the endangered Yucatan black howler monkeys at the Primate Rehabilitation Centre. She shares with us her initial thoughts as she starts the field work.

This past week kicked off the first of many survey trips to Fireburn, the main release site for the Yucatan black howler monkeys that have passed through the primate rehabilitation process here at Wildtracks. Over the next seven months, I’m going to be assessing the success of the rehabilitation and reintroduction of howler monkeys into the Fireburn Forest, part of the North-Eastern Biological Corridor, here in Belize. Wildtracks has been releasing howler monkeys into the Fireburn Forests since 2011 through a carefully designed rehabilitation-reintroduction process, with 75 howler monkeys introduced into the area to date. Previous estimates of the population suggest there are between 150 and 200 individuals. I am partnering with an experienced primate tracker, and will be in and out of the rainforest counting, tracking, and collecting data on the growing population.

This familiarization visit was about getting to grips with forest life. I have started to learn key tracking skills from the Wildtracks post Release Tracking Team, the basics of keeping safe in the tropical forest as well as testing out data collection. Before leaving, I was nervous and completely unsure of what to expect, but after months of talking about it and planning, it has happened. Well, what a welcome the howlers gave us! In the 5 days we spent in the forest we found 3 troops of howler monkeys, a total of 18 individuals. Hopefully many more will be found in the upcoming trips!

The forest is full of life…aside from monkeys, we spotted some huge tarantulas, a coati that I thought was a monkey (I’m going to have to work on my arboreal mammal identification!) and a glimpse of the beak of a toucan. This whirlwind of an experience has already taught me so much - including that taking pictures of monkeys is a lot harder than I was expecting! I’ve worked with some of these monkeys when they were in rehabilitation, as a Wildtracks Volunteer in the past - seeing and hearing these monkeys calling in the wild is better than I could have ever imagined! In so many ways it feels like I was always meant to be doing this and I can’t help thinking that little me would be so proud. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what the next year brings!

Wildtracks operates under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Belize Forest Department for the Primate Rehabilitation Centre, and under a research permit for the 10 year assessment.

Hope, by Chelsea Allen

I want to start off by saying I am so happy I decided to come to Wildtracks. Being here is more than I ever imagined it would be when I first heard about Wildtracks almost two years ago from a girl I went to school with. She came for two months in the beginning of 2015 and I was captivated by the photos she shared of her experience.  My friends and family can probably still hear me saying ‘Look, she’s feeding a baby manatee! Isn’t that so cool?’ while I showed them these pictures. Little did I know, I would be feeding some of the same manatees a short time later.

The days at Wildtracks are long, and sometimes exhausting but there are many moments to remind you that the early mornings and itchy mosquito bites are all worth it. One of those days for me was when we integrated Hope, Mitch, and Lucky. Hope is a female manatee that arrived in August 2016. She was only a few days old when she was discovered in someone’s back yard, washed up by a storm surge caused by Hurricane Earl. When a young manatee first arrives at Wildtracks they are monitored around the clock in the Intensive Care Pool. Once the manatee is healthy enough, it is moved into the Recovery Pool and then a Large Growth Pool. When I arrived in October, Hope had already been through these stages of rehabilitation and was now residing in one half of the Lagoon Enclosure. The lagoon enclosure creates a more natural environment and is the final phase before soft release. In the adjacent enclosure were Mitch and Lucky, both males that arrived a few weeks apart from each other. Since Hope was rescued when she was a new-born calf, she had not seen another manatee until she was moved into the lagoon. She could see Mitch and Lucky through the fencing, and occasionally stole mangroves from their side of the enclosure, but didn’t have any direct contact. The two older female manatees in soft-release, Khaleesi and Twiggy, would occasionally come up to the outer fencing and say ‘Hi!’ to Hope as well (Hope was extra excited when she got to see Twiggy).

One morning the Manatee Team got the news that we would be opening the gate that separated the two sides of the lagoon enclosure so all three manatees would be able to swim freely around the enclosure. This gave the manatees twice the amount of swimming space they had previously and gave Hope the opportunity to live with other manatees for the first time. Later that afternoon the team gathered to watch Paul and Jaimy open the gate. Within a few minutes Hope found her way over to the boys’ side. We were all both excited and nervous and everyone took shifts keeping watch for the rest of the day. There was still a risk that something could go wrong; the manatees may not all get along or Hope could end up underneath one of the boys while they were playing and not able to surface to breath since the boys are bigger. There were a few spooks and splashes as they got use to the new conditions but by the end of the day we felt confident that the integration was successful. Everyone was excited to feed all three manatees together at the same time. It took time for the group to figure out how to line up comfortably for their milk but once they did it was amazing.

It has been a week now since the integration with all three continuing to get along and almost always coming up to feed in the same order. Mitch is usually the first to come up for milk when he sees our feet drop into the water. He has always preferred to eat to the far left next to the gate and takes his time to finish his bottle. Hope is typically only a few seconds behind to start her feed and prefers to be on the outside near the mangroves trees. Lucky is the patient one. Sometimes he waits until the other two have had some time to eat first then comes up and squeezes in the middle but, unlike Mitch, wastes no time drinking his milk. Seeing all three eat in unison still gives the team a smile.

Being here now is still surreal, even two months in. But I’ve realized Wildtracks is so much more than just feeding baby manatees. It’s helping the monkey team out with fruit chop when they are shorthanded. It’s educating the community about the wildlife that surrounds them. It’s going to town and dancing with strangers that have become friends. It’s waking up early to catch racoons that decided to return after they had already been released (and regretting staying out late dancing the night before). It’s realizing that all the day to day tasks that may seem monotonous at times (like scrubbing pool walls) are all working parts of a bigger picture. Wildtracks is about keeping the wild in wildlife and I am lucky to be a part of it.

Staff Vlog: Manatee Morning

As the sun rises, the Manatee Team rises as well to start the first feeds for the six manatees in rehabilitation at Wildtracks. We appreciate our manatees in November - Manatee Awareness Month...and also appreciate our Manatee volunteers, who go beyond the expected to ensure that these manatees are able to return to the wild.

Following friends through rehab - Mitch returns for Innie's release

I’ll always remember the day I first met Innie, then a young Yucatan black howler monkeys at Wildtracks, and the moment he leapt onto my neck and purred in my ear. Looking back it was a pretty life-changing moment. It led to me returning to Wildtracks again and again and again. I’ve met so many truly incredible people, monkeys, and manatees during my summers here, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that Innie is a little extra special to me. When I first met him he was a tiny baby with a broken arm, the only monkey of his age group at Wildtracks. Affectionate, seemingly confident (as long as his carers were nearby to back him up), and prone to mood swings, he was a handful, but everyone adored him. Then along came Vicky, a pudgy gorilla-like baby with an attitude and confidence that put Innie’s to shame. Thus, a new troop was formed. Now “Innie and co.” consists of Innie, Vicky, Maggie, and Finn...and they are one of the troops moving to freedom in Fireburn this year.

Looking back over four summers following this dynamic, hilarious group of misfit monkeys, it has been quite an adventure full of ups and downs and funny stories. There was the time Innie and Vicky first slept together in the incubator as babies – Innie screaming and desperately pounding on the door with his tiny fists while Vicky was fast asleep clasped to his back, her face snuggled in his fur. Anyone who has met Maggie knows she is a story in and of herself; she’s a cross between a lanky jungle cat and a yeti who is somehow both very wise and aloof. Her style of play has always involved sneaky ankle attacks and ripping out of hair, which I believe she was collecting in a secret stash somewhere. Finn has been a constant source of bubbly goofiness, always trying to chuckle and play regardless of the social situation. Combine Finn’s determination to play and lack of social awareness with Innie’s predisposition to temper tantrums and you had a recipe for a memorable time.

Of course there were hard days too. There was Vicky’s stubborn determination to lay in the dirt in the pre-release enclosure instead of climbing in the trees where her portly figure made her slightly less than graceful. There were troop shake-ups as Kat and then later Kenya had to be pulled from Troop Innie and co. (I won’t point fingers, but Vicky you need to work on your jealousy issues). There were no shortage of monkey scuffles, monkey nips, and lots and lots of monkey poo, including but not limited to a slap to the face with a tail covered in diarrhea - but I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.

Even the days leading up to their move to Fireburn were eventful and entertaining as always. My attempt to gather a faecal sample before releases nearly resulted in pandemonium when Innie assumed the plastic container was a syringe of milk, bringing back memories of milk time with Innie and his near frightening obsession with anything resembling a syringe of milk (a condition I’ve termed milk fever). Next came Vicky’s fantastic and reality-defying escape. After locking Innie and co. into the enclosure in pre-release in preparation for their transport to Fireburn, Vicky somehow escaped, either by wedging her way out the corner of two locked doors, or by digging and squeezing out of a hole along the bottom of the cage. Her characteristic belly would suggest both of those things would have been near impossible, but we assume she was just displeased with her food portions inside the enclosure and decided to take matters into her own hands - we lured her back with more food. Finn continued to display his innate need to play even as we kenneled him for the trip to Fireburn. He play-chuckled while simultaneously white-knuckle gripping the cage to avoid capture. Eventually all four were kenneled and after one final walk with Innie to the boat, they were on their way to Fireburn.

My time at Wildtracks following Innie and his troop has been indescribable. It truly was an adventure, but now they are about to begin a brand new adventure as they start a life as wild monkeys. I’m confident that they are well equipped to thrive thanks to this incredible place, Paul and Zoe’s selfless determination to help wildlife in Belize, and all the incredible people who’ve worked so hard to bring Innie and co. to this point. I wish Innie's the best of luck for amazing lives back in the wild, and I thank them for the experience of a lifetime by getting to know them and to play a role in their rehabilitation.

Do I need experience to volunteer at Wildtracks?

How to sum up my time at Wildtracks is an easy one… AMAZING! This is something I would never have thought I’d have the delight to be able to do, as I have no wildlife conservation / rehab experience at all, in fact, I have no animal experience whatsoever. However, this is not a problem for volunteering at Wildtracks, as long as you are committed and reliable, then training and working / interacting with the animals won’t be an issue, as you are shown the ropes, plus there is always someone at hand to ask if ever unsure.

When I arrived at Wildtracks I was placed with the spider monkeys, and from the first time I saw them, I felt the connection between man and monkey. I loved working with the spider monkeys as, like humans, every single one has its own personality. Over my 6 week period here, I got to see and learn each of their personalities and what they liked and didn’t like. At first, the spiders took a few days to get used to me, but as the time went on and as the monkeys got used to me and I them, our relationship grew, and now I get warm greetings from Frisky, and get a warm hand squeeze from the charming Charlie, and trust me, the best type of greeting is definitely one from a monkey.

The day to day duties involved cutting the fruit for the monkey feeds, this was mainly papayas and bananas, but we also used other fruits such as cantaloupe, mango and even coconut, to name a few. After the fruit was chopped, we gave each group of monkeys their bowls and made sure they had plenty of browse and water. The feeds are 4 times a day at times 06:30, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00, and during the feed time, I would check each monkey to ensure it was healthy and behaving normally.

Aside from the day to day duties there are plenty of other things going on that you could get involved with and help. During my 6 weeks here, I helped with catching a wild manatee, now named ‘The Duchess’, I got involved with tube feeding The Duchess, scrubbing manatee pools to make sure they are clean, having one on one time with the baby calf, Hope, assisting with an aspiration operation on L.C. the manatee, making enrichment for the spider monkeys and chopping the browse for both the howler and spider monkeys. These are just some of the other wonderful tasks I got my hands stuck in with, so, you will never feel like there’s nothing to do, and you can always find something to help with.

Later on in my time here, I was introduced to two adult howler monkeys in the pre-release site. These two monkeys – Kat and Balou – are on their last stage before they are released into the forest at Fireburn, and then they will be tracked to check their progress and to see how their release is going. Similar to the spider monkeys, I fed these at the same times, but this time I got to go in the enclosure with them, to give them their fruit and their milk. I still remember one of the first times I gave Kat and Balou their milk, Kat came down and drank from the milk bowl which was in my hand. She continued to stay here for a while and my heart melted, and then from that point, I was both a spider and a howler monkey type of person.

I had a lot of fun here, and what Paul and Zoe have started is just unbelievable, knowing that what you are doing is helping getting both the monkeys and the manatees back into the wild where possible is a feeling like no other. You can see how both monkeys and manatees progress from the young, like Hope and the monkeys in the nursery, to the adults and see how much more independent they have become.

I would recommend Wildtracks to anyone with an interest in these animals, and like myself and others here, having no experience isn’t an issue. I made a lot of friends here (monkey and human), I also feel like I made a difference, albeit a small one, but a difference none the less, but mainly I made memories - memories which I shall cherish and never forget.

Thank you Paul and Zoe for having me, and thank you Wildtracks, I look forward to volunteering here again in the near future!

Wildtracks...The Return of the Kat!

Many moons ago, possibly twelve years ago, I first visited Wildtracks as a naïve, fresh-faced volunteer and got the chance to stay. For two years, Wildtracks became my place of work, Sarteneja my home, the cenote my bath, the jungle my playground, the volunteers my family, and Paul and Zoe my voice of reason!

I left and continued with my life, in a roundabout way. However, in November 2016 I had an epiphany and returned for a flying visit. I was welcomed back and ridiculed as if I had never left.

During my first stint at Wildtracks, volunteers at the farm would share time in Fireburn Reserve, mapping, doing wildlife transects, camera trap maintenance, clearing the Mayan ruin site and teaching at the village school. Others would work with the manatees (one manatee at a time mind!), 24 hour feeding and observation schedules, and caring for all manner of other wildlife that found its way to our door. University students and project groups would visit, gap year groups would set up camp, local volunteers and school classes would come and see what we were doing, life was never quiet!

Those were the days when evening drinks on the jetty were spent dreaming about building permanent manatee pools and reintroducing howler monkeys to Fireburn Reserve.

Guess what. Dreams can become reality. There are now zillions of howler monkeys in Fireburn! Successfully rehabilitated and howling away! Imagine my ears whilst stirring beans in field base (by solar powered light might I add) listening to the fellows chatting away up in the trees.

The ethos of Wildtracks has not and I don’t think ever will change. The volunteers and local workers still have a ‘can do’ attitude. An aura of ‘get on with it’ floats around like a friendly Duende. Paul and Zoe still survive on three hours of sleep, whether that’s because they are making a deadline or an impromptu "full-moon-rising-parties" just ‘happened’, work still gets done.

Wildtracks has experienced big change. Paul and Zoe now virtually live with the orphaned howlers and spiders ‘all the better to do night feeds’ and merely lean off a computer chair to attend to their wards. Volunteers walk around the place with various branches and twigs draped around them ‘this one is……try it, its Izzie’s favourite’. Whether the furry creatures are undergoing intensive rehabilitation, are in integration or experiencing life in the huge pre-release enclosures, every single volunteer has the single aim of eventual release in mind. The number of times in my first week I had to interrupt conversations to ask if people were talking about a person or monkey is slightly embarrassing. I think it’s a testament to the dedication of the monkey team and how closely observations are made that this happened and I did overhear other ‘newbies’ doing the same. Embarrassment gone.

The manatee pools are things dreams are made of! When I saw them I did have to do a ‘In my day’ speech. In my day ‘we had a kids paddling pool, to be emptied and filled twice a day from the lagoon by hand’. In my day ‘WE DUG THE LAGOON OUT BY HAND USING BUCKETS, I BLED’. Not convinced I was believed, as they had a digger last year. Lucky them. Seven manatees were being cared for during this visit, including one who admitted herself by arriving outside the lagoon enclosure one morning. The word about Wildtracks must be spreading.

This visit I did, I learnt, I realised and remembered: the sunrises and the sunsets, I can still catch a scorpion, you can still get cold and sunburnt in Belize, Fireburn still thrives and Lincoln suits a moustache, a tractor can be driven with three wheels, there is never too much rum or too much coffee, and that sleep can happen tomorrow.

The whole staff and volunteer team works as one, as it did ‘in the olden days’, now its just a much bigger team. Slicker, more professional, gaining expertise and recognition as the years roll on.

Paul and Zoe, still heading it, being proud, making others proud, encouraging, nurturing people and animals. Paul still cracking jokes over the dining table, still getting bitten. Zoe still being everyone’s big sister, welcoming, organising and putting up with her husband Paul.

It might have been ten years since my last visit but it won’t be ten years until I return.

Paul and Zoe and the Wildtracks team, thank you for everything.