Wildtracks joins 1% for the Planet as a fully vetted environmental partner!!

Wildtracks, as a 501 (c) (3) has been accepted as a vetted environmental partner by 1% for the Planet, a platform that provides businesses an opportunity to commit 1% of their annual sales to vetted environmental partners such as Wildtracks. 1% for the Planet provides the assurance that its environmental partners are credible and accountable.

Wildtracks, as a 1% for the Planet environmental partner, provides impacts across the Conservation and Restoration Impact Area, through supporting biodiversity and preventing the extinction of threatened species, and in the management of marine, freshwater and terrestrial protected areas. Our work goes beyond biodiversity conservation, ensuring strong conservation outcomes that build resilient ecosystems, wildlife and communities across Belize. This is through strengthened species and protected area management, providing water security, support of livelihoods and the protection of life and property provided by forested steep slopes, riparian vegetation, the barrier reef and mangroves.

We feel very honoured to be selected as a 1% for the Planet environmental partner by Edge Impulse, and added to their portfolio of supported organizations - Thank you!

If you are interested in joining the 5,200 businesses that support the planet and people through committing 1% of annual sales to organizations such as Wildtracks, with a direct impact on the ground, then we encourage you to explore 1% for the Planet


Wildtracks directors awarded MBEs on the UK King's New Years Honours List

WIldtracks Celebrates: We would like to congratulate Paul and Zoe Walker, who have both been awarded MBEs (Members of the Order of the British Empire) as part of the King's New Year's Honours list this year in recognition of their services to conservation and biodiversity in Belize!

Paul and Zoe Walker

Paul and Zoe Walker are widely recognised in Belize for working tirelessly towards the conservation of Belize’s endangered species, tropical forests and reefs. They founded their organisation, Wildtracks, in 1990, and continue to lead its activities more than 30 years later. As part of the Wildtracks conservation work, Paul and Zoe established the National Manatee Rehabilitation Centre in 1999 to provide rehabilitation care for orphaned and injured Antillean manatees rescued from Belize’s coastal waters. In 2010 they established the National Primate Rehabilitation Centre for Belize’s Yucatan black howler monkeys and Central American spider monkeys confiscated from the Illegal Wildlife Trade to ensure that these endangered primates can be returned to the wild.

Since its inception in 1990, Wildtracks has responded to numerous wildlife emergencies, rehabilitated 174 primates and returned over 100 back to the wild, reestablishing these species in critical forest areas. Wildtracks also collaborates with the Forest and Fisheries Departments of the Government of Belize and other national and international conservation organisations towards effective and sustainable management of Belize’s natural resources. Their work has brought great credit on the UK and its reputation in Belize and beyond.

On learning of their awards, Paul and Zoe Walker said:

“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 may 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.”

Find out more…

Wildtracks honoured to be recipient of award from SACD

On the 28th October, 2023, Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development celebrated the 25th anniversary of the designation of the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, a key marine protected area in Belize, and the release site for the rehabilitated manatees at Wildtracks.

Wildtracks Director, Zoe Walker, receives the Award of Recognition form the Executive Director of the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD). Photo: O. Salas.

Wildtracks and SACD have a long history, with Zoe Walker being a founding Board member of the organization. It has been an honour to watch this community based organization grow and flourish into the full fledged NGO it has become, under the leadership of its very effective Executive Director, Joel Verde.

Whilst Wildtracks has played a small role in providing technical support over the years, it is the SACD Team’s willingness to learn, to adapt, to be innovative and to reach for the skies in terms of conservation outcomes that has led to the successes it has achieved, and resulting in it being among the most effective protected area managers in Belize today.

Congratulations to SACD for their role in bringing effective management to Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, ensuring traditional livelihoods are supported and creating an environment in which new livelihoods can flourish!

Benchmarks of Success

Benchmarks for success in wildlife rehabilitation can be measured through contribution to the next generation - this was celebrated two weeks ago when Twiggy, one of our first rehabilitated manatees, turned up with....a new born calf!! Over the years, Twiggy has developed a routine of turning up in the lagoon twice a year for a week or so, hanging out with the soft-release manatees before she is off again into Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and Shipstern Lagoon, living her life as a wild manatee. We have always joked that one day, she would turn up with a calf.

Twiggy and her new-born calf (Photo: Shannon Nelson)

Twiggy had arrived two days earlier, no calf in sight. An early morning by the terrace enjoying the sunrise led to Shannon, a member of the Wildtracks Team, being in the right place at the right time to see Twiggy swim up with a newly born calf at her side, accompanied by one of the other rehab manatees. A proud mother showing off her contribution to the next generation of Antillean manatees in Belize. For a species that is at increasing risk from boat traffic, every calf counts. We don’t know whether this little addition to the manatee population is male or female, but in watching Twiggy care for it over the last two weeks, we do know that she is providing the nurturing care that it will need to grow successfully. Once she is ready to take it out of the sheltered lagoon, she will teach it where to find seagrass, freshwater and ensure it has the life skills it needs for the future. It is success stories like this that the support of our donors and Wildtracks volunteers helps to make a reality!

Twiggy and her two-week old calf (Photo: Adam Lloyd)

Twiggy and her two-week old calf (Photo: Adam Lloyd)

Improving awareness of wildlife rehabilitation at Wildtracks

It was a pleasure to be able to introduce Minister Habet of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, the National Biodiversity Office team and members from the Department for the Environment to see wildlife rehabilitation in action at Wildtracks!

The visit was part of the National Biodiversity Office initiative to highlight the work being done by conservation organizations across Belize to ensure that Belize continues to be biodiversity-rich...and that no species becomes extinct.

One Manatee at a Time...

Belize is known for its rich wildlife, both in its tropical forests and its coastal reefs, and as the stronghold for iconic species in the Mesoamerican region that include the Yucatan black howler monkey, Central American river turtle and Antillean manatee. The World Wildlife Fund is showcasing work in Belize that contributes to ecosystem and wildlife protection - including manatee rehabilitation at Wildtracks.

‘Wildtracks functions at a critical crossroads for the future of wildlife and healthy oceans in Belize: rehabilitating and reintroducing manatees and primates into the wild as well as providing technical support to strengthen and implement national wildlife and protected area strategies—important areas of work for WWF, too. Working alongside other local, national, and global nonprofits, government, and communities, the organization wants to meet a national target that says no animal will become extinct in Belize by 2030. It’s a tall order considering the threatened and declining population of the Antillean manatee—even in their Belizean stronghold they number only from 700 to 1,000 individuals—but it’s one that the Walkers face head-on.’

Read the full article to learn more about Wildtracks manatee conservation strategies, including manatee rehabilitation :

Protecting Belize's threatened seascapes and wildlife - one manatee at a time

Wildtracks awarded grant to strengthen manatee conservation in Belize

The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future is supporting Wildtracks through investment in the project goal ‘Contributing to securing the long-term viability of manatees in Belize’.

The coastal waters of Belize are home to the Antillean manatee – one of the most charismatic large marine mammals in the world. Belize’s manatee is Endangered, and the most recent global assessment suggests that at the current level of decline, it may become critically endangered in another two generations. Belize is the stronghold in the region for this species, but there has been an alarming increase in the number of manatee strandings, animals that are either dead, injured or orphaned, from 2011 onwards. With a population estimated at around 700 individuals, and over 376 verified manatee deaths reported between 2010 and 2019 – we need to be concerned. Over 40 manatees died or were orphaned in 2018 alone, with the primary cause of death identified as impacts from boat traffic.

Wildtracks is a Belize non-profit organization that has been working with its partners to implement actions to conserve manatees in Belize for more than twenty five years. The organization takes a holistic approach, working with partners across Belize to strengthen ecosystem and species protection, build management effectiveness in protected areas, and improve public awareness and engagement. The organization also manages Belize’s manatee rehabilitation centre, which ensures that injured manatees and orphaned calves have the care required to recover, and the rehabilitation to develop the skills they need to return successfully to the wild. All these strategies are needed to manage a species effectively.

The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future is investing in the implementation of actions to achieve three objectives through this project.

Objective 1. Strengthen capacity for management of manatees in key protected areas

Objective 2: Build knowledge and capacity of wildlife management authorities in manatee rehabilitation

Objective 3: Ensure rescued manatees continue to have the opportunity to contribute to the wild population

Zoe Walker receives the award from Chief Executive Officer Kennedy Carrillo (Ministry of Blue Economy, Belize

The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future (BFSF) is a Belizean, non-profit organization, established in 2022 to provide funding and other forms of support for conservation and climate change adaptation activities in the marine environment. The fund supports projects aligned with national commitments under Belize’s Blue Bond debt relief agreement , including Biodiversity Protection…

‘effective protection for marine biodiversity focused on strategies and interventions that ensure full protection and prevents depletion or loss of biodiversity. Such protection includes the marine protected areas, especially no-take zones, and the effective management of these. It also includes protection for species of conservation concern and ecosystems crucial for maintaining the health of ocean ecosystems’.

Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future

Satellite Data helps to assess Belize Coral Reef Risk

The Meso-American Reef barrier reef is the longest in the Western Hemisphere and the second longest in the world - and most of it runs parallel to Belize's coastline. It supports the livelihoods of traditional fishers who free dive for lobster and conch. It also attracts large numbers of visitors from around the world wanting to snorkel and dive to experience the rich colours and diverse shapes of the reef and the vibrant life that lives there, supporting the tourism sector, and contributing significantly to the national economy.

The reef is important in so many ways to the lives, livelihoods and culture in Belize...but it is suffering from the impacts of climate change, with increasing water temperatures resulting in increased coral bleaching events and emerging coral diseases. These are compounded by human impacts, either directly on the reef itself, or originating from the land - including the increased forest clearance, especially of river-edge (riparian) forests and mangroves. The sediment that is no longer trapped by these trees is washed into the rivers and eventually out into the sea, turning the crystal clear waters a solid brown when heavy rains fall.

This study has developed a toolkit to assess the clarity and surface temperature of the waters of 24 marine protected areas off the Belize coast. It ranks these areas based on the risks coral face from murky water and rising temperatures, to indicate where areas are less impacted, and where reefs that are less stressed may be located, enabling informed decision making in the management of the National Protected Areas System.

It is tools like this, like the Healthy Reef Report Cards, national management effectiveness assessments and marine spatial planning that ensure Belize can manage protection of its reef effectively for the benefit of those who depend on it and those who enjoy it...guiding the work and the dedicated marine protected areas teams on the ground...

Scientists Use NASA Satellite Data to Determine Belize Coral Reef Risk


Ensuring Effective Management of Marine Protected Areas

From Knowledge to Action: A Case Study of Protected Area Management Effectiveness in Belize.

Wildtracks Conservation Planning Unit Director, Zoe Walker, joined the BIOPAMA and Belize Audubon Society teams in Vancouver for the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress. The BIOPAMA session provided an opportunity for Belize to showcase its use of protected area management effectiveness as a tool to ensure strong marine protected areas that deliver the key outputs of biodiversity protection, ecosystem services and socio-economic benefits.

Zoe Walker (Wildtracks) presenting on protected area management effectiveness

IMPAC 5 recognizes the oceans as a global priority - they represent over 90 per cent of the living space for species on the planet, supporting billions of people around the world. They generate oxygen; provide food security, climate resilience and storm protection; preserves biodiversity and create cultural and economic opportunities for humankind. IMPAC 5 provided an opportunity for the global community to come together to share experiences, learn from each other and to chart a course for achieving global conservation targets to protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030.

IMPAC 5 brought marine protected area practitioners together against the backdrop of the mountains of Vancouver

Wildtracks was hosted by BIOPAMA (the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Programme), which assists the African, Caribbean (including Belize) and Pacific countries to address priorities for improved management and governance of biodiversity and natural resources. It supports actions on the ground in Belize through the BIOPAMA Action component.   

The pollution causing harmful algal blooms

“Rising temperatures and pollution have led to an explosive growth of harmful algal blooms, contaminating rivers, lakes, drinking water and harming human health”. This natural disaster has been slowly increasing in many countries around the world, and has become an ongoing environmental issue in the USA.

“The explosive growth of algal blooms is linked to rising temperatures and rising pollution. These green waves are both a warning sign and a symptom of a changing climate. As farming fertilizer and a tsunami of human sewage hit our warming waterways, we are in danger of turning our very drinking water toxic”.

In the past, Belize has been known for its crystal-clear rivers, for its unpolluted waterways and abundant aquatic wildlife. However, the toll of agricultural and industrial pollutants and the impacts of limited sewage treatment and grey water management in river-side towns and villages is finally catching up. In the north of Belize, the New River winds from the low hills in the west across a flat limestone plain to empty into coastal waters. The slow flow of the river, combined with the increasing agricultural and urban footprints, and the changing weather of drought conditions and higher-than-normal temperatures, has provided the perfect conditions for eutrophication. The result? A toxic brew that results in fish-kills and sulphurous fumes that close schools, restaurants and hotels in close proximity to the river.

Rural communities that use the river for fishing and bathing are impacted by the changes in the river. Children develop skin rashes and the fish are inedible. People with houses near the river live and breathe in the sulphurous environment for the weeks or months that the river is eutrophicated, and the tour guides using the river are forced to look elsewhere for work, impacting their houseold incomes.

Is this the ‘new norm’? Can the eutrophication be reversed? Studies are being conducted in the New River area. Water quality testing is being conducted on an ongoing basis, and a New River watershed Management Plan is being developed. 2022 was a reprieve - a wetter year that flushed the contaminants out of the river fast enough for there to be only a few days where the river turned green and the air sulphurous. However, with increasing droughts, the future looks less certain.

"There will always be some of these blooms," says Stumpf. "The world is getting warmer which means that blooms may last longer." But, he says, it ultimately comes down to the pollution and nutrients we release into the water. It's the choices we make as to "how we use the land", he says. And we do have control over them.

The pollution causing harmful algal blooms

Dealing with the increasing need for manatee rehabilitation in the USA

The West Indian manatee is threatened across its entire range, from the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, south along the Atlantic coast of Central America and throughout the Caribbean. This has recently increased significantly in southern U.S. waters, with the seagrass die off and red tide events in Florida.

Manatee rehabilitation is essential in maintaining populations of this species throughout its range, with rehabilitation facilities in Florida, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Belize. Rehabilitation Centres are having to expand to meet the increasing number of animals needing care...this raises the question…

Is there enough room to house Florida’s rescued manatees?

Primate Rehabilitation and Release - Lessons Learnt and Shared

As a Twycross Zoo partner, Wildtracks recently participated in the Primate Society of Great Britain winter meeting, presenting on 'Primate Rehabilitation and Release in Belize - A Model for Successful Reintroductions'. Primate rehabilitation at Wildtracks is not just an animal welfare issue. The two species Wildtracks works with, the Yucatan black howler monkey (a regional endemic) and the Central American spider monkey are both globally endangered - the spider monkey is considered one of the 25 primates at highest risk of extinction in the world.

In being committed to accepting every monkey confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, Wildtracks and the Belize Forest Department have been able to partner to significantly reduce the number of illegal primates in captivity to a handful a year, taking them through rehabilitation to release.

Reintroduction into protected forests is an essential strategy towards safeguarding primate populations in Belize. Rehabilitation is focused on ensuring each individual gains the knowledge and skills it will require for a successful release, and is integrated into a social group with others that grow and learn together through rehabilitation, forming strong bonds that last into the release stage.

We are very pleased to be able to share the presentation with you

Tales from the Primate Nursery Unit

Do you remember Inca? He was comatose on arrival - near to death.... but now he is fully integrated with his troop, he may not be the leader of the band of four Nursery monkeys, but he is energetic, inquisitive, and excited by the start of each new day!

He and his troop (Inca, Jet, Gilbert and Millie) have started going out to the Forest Enclosures for the day, returning to the Nursery Unit at night - another step towards their lives back in the wild!

Twycross Zoo Supporting Spider Monkey Reintroductions in Belize

Celebrating partnerships!

Twycross Zoo has supported the reintroduction of endangered Central American spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) by Wildtracks, and released a short video celebrating the spider monkey release in the North East Biological Corridor in Belize.

Rewilding the North East Biological Corridor with these large, very mobile seed dispersers is not only an important strategy in the long term viability of this endangered species. It is also an important step in building resilience of the forest to climate change, ensuring that the drought-resistant trees and plants of northern Belize can move south over time to reinforce forest structures and ecosystem services as less resilient tree species are lost.

It is only through partners such as Twycross Zoo, investing in species conservation action in countries like Belize, and through the actions of individual donors, supporters and volunteers, that important species conservation work can be implemented on the ground.

Thank you, Twycross Zoo, for investing in the future of biodiversity in Belize!

Belize Manatees Under Threat

Boats and coastal development are both impacting Efforts to protect them include effective management of critical protected areas - and manatee rehabilitation. Part of this short video captures Tess, one of the orphaned manatees, soon after she arrived at the Manatee Rehabilitation Centre at Wildtracks. Manatee calves are often so fragile when they come in, and need 24 hour critical care. Critical care is not just about dealing with the physical issues of dehydration, cuts, bruises and emaciation, but also the mental issues - calves are in constant contact with their mothers in the wild, and being orphaned adds additional stress for these calves.

Tess is now recovered and on her path through rehabilitation towards release back into the wild in another two years. Each returned calf is important to a wild population that has such low numbers - an investment in the future for this species in Belize...

Thank you, The Nature Conservancy - Belize, for highlighting Belize's manatees!