A few weeks ago I had to make a trip to Belize City and that sparked the idea that I should stop at the 'Best Little Zoo in the World'. That's what the Belize Zoo calls itself and although I can't say that I've visited every little zoo in the world, this one is pretty darn amazing!
When we vacationed in Belize years ago the zoo was a real highlight for me. I remember seeing a young jaguar cub named Junior Buddy. He absolutely stole my heart. I had never had the chance to be so close and up personal with an animal with so much beauty and grace. In the years since we've moved here, I've visited the zoo many more times and watched Junior Buddy grow up. He is amazing. And that's one of the main reasons the Belize Zoo is so special. It's small and intimate. Every encounter is up close. Of course, there are cages and fences but not a lot of distance to separate you from the animals. It's really, really cool!
When we vacationed in Belize years ago the zoo was a real highlight for me. I remember seeing a young jaguar cub named Junior Buddy. He absolutely stole my heart. I had never had the chance to be so close and up personal with an animal with so much beauty and grace. In the years since we've moved here, I've visited the zoo many more times and watched Junior Buddy grow up. He is amazing. And that's one of the main reasons the Belize Zoo is so special. It's small and intimate. Every encounter is up close. Of course, there are cages and fences but not a lot of distance to separate you from the animals. It's really, really cool!
All the residents of the zoo are rescues from around Belize or were born in the zoo and because of that, many of the animals have some kind of disability. Many have been rescued, nursed and whenever possible returned to the wild but sometimes it's just not possible to release them. In these cases, they become much loved residents of the Belize Zoo and ambassadors for their species.
The zoo has made some really big upgrades since our first visit here, too. The entire site is wheelchair accessible now. In a country like Belize where decent sidewalks are a rare luxury (although it is getting better!) wheelchair access is a pretty amazing thing. The zoo staff and supporters should be proud. And they have added an onsite restaurant and new gift shop. Of course, I had lunch. The menu wasn't terribly unique but the stewed chicken with rice and beans was as good as any that I've had and the potato salad was probably a little better than most!