Best Damn Zoo, a Must Visit!

I LOVE animals. It’s one of the reasons why I have been on the board of directors for The Placencia Humane Society for so long. Sometimes I find myself wanting to be with animals rather than people.

I currently have 4 dogs and 4 cats. All are rescues except my two Toy Pomeranians I brought from the States when we moved to Belize.

I have always loved snakes and other reptiles, but Boas are my favorite, and I kept a pair in my landscape company's office on Johns Island, S.C. When I moved to Belize, I donated them to education.

Cats are also one of my favorites, and Serena and I have bottle fed our fair share of kittens.

I have always loved snakes and other reptiles, but Boas are my favorite, and I kept a pair in my landscape company's office on Johns Island, S.C. When I moved to Belize, I donated them to education.

Cats are also one of my favorites, and Serena and I have bottle fed our fair share of kittens.

Everywhere I travel, I must go to the zoo. I have never visited a zoo I love more than The Belize Zoo.

The Zoo was founded by Sharon Matola in 1983 to protect the animals and help educate others about them. It started with just 20 animals she got while filming a documentary. After the film, the animals were too tame to let back in the wild, so she decided to open an unusual zoo.

Sharon hung signs around the whole country to raise awareness of the deteriorating habitat. Then she raised funds outside of Belize, and The Belize Zoo was formed. The zoo is now home to over 125 native species and educates people about Belize's wildlife.

When you go to a zoo in North America, you are so far away from the animals, but here in Belize, you can get very close. Imagine being able to feed the exotic cats from their cage… you can experience that at the zoo.

My love for cats doesn’t stop at domestic breeds. Large cats are right up there too.

My first memory was of Junior Buddy was when he was small; he was playing with my shoe. I know you’re not supposed to, but I was able to pet him.

There were two jaguars rescued from down in the Punta Gorda area, and unfortunately, one did not make it, but the other was Lucky Boy.

It was a scramble to get him a suitable enclosure. We donated to help with his enclosure and were then invited to the enclosure’s grand opening and offered an up-close experience with him. Lucky Boy would give a high five for a treat.

What a beautiful cat. Sadly, both have passed away, but there are others at the zoo.

There are 125 different animals: birds, reptiles, monkeys, otters, tapirs, deer, and coatimundi. There are trails and education pieces on every exhibit.

Not many places in Belize are handicap accessible, but The Belize Zoo is. If you are planning on a trip to Belize, please plan for a day at the zoo. It’s truly a unique and special experience. You won’t be disappointed.

To get the most out of your visit, check out some of the Animal Experiences!

We try to go at least two to three times a year, but it’s been hard to do over the last couple of years. We do miss it.

Volunteers and donations run Belize zoo. They also have a parent company that is a 501c3, so your donations are tax-deductible.

Whether you want to become a member or make a donation, you can do so by visiting The Belize Zoo.

Until next time, stay safe and well.