Belize Ocean Wildlife Expedition

伯利兹大堡礁是一个extraordinary ocean wildlife hotspot. Bottlenose dolphins, manatees, several species of sea turtles, and more than 500 species of fish and 100 species of coral populate these crystal blue waters. The island of St. George’s Caye, home of our partner EcoMar’s research station, is a great base to explore from and has a unique spot in the rich history of Belize.

On this trip, you will spend 5 nights at St. George’s, participating in research on sea turtles, dolphins, and manatees, and exploring coral reefs and marine protected areas including the extraordinary Hol Chan Marine Reserve. An optional 2 night extension offers the opportunity to go cave tubing and rainforest hiking and visit the spectacular Tikal National Park in nearby Guatemala. Profits from this trip will help to save at least 500 hatchlings at a turtle nesting beach per participant.

The waters around St. George’s Caye provides important habitat for endangered green, loggerhead, and hawksbill sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, and Antillean manatees, among other species. As a participant on this program, you will work side-by-side with researchers to observe and record sea turtle, dolphin, and manatee behavior. The Research Station has rooms with bunk beds (2-4 people per room) with a mix of shared and private bathrooms. Each room has fans but there is no air conditioning or hot water. Dinner is served buffet-style and vegetarians are easily accommodated.

Sea Turtle Surveys

EcoMar has been conducting in-water snorkel surveys to assess sea turtle abundance and diversity at Gallow’s Point since 2009. With help from skilled local fishermen, sea turtles are captured by hand and then measured, sampled, and tagged to help scientists track their movements and understand population dynamics. Traditional fisherman have become important conservation assistants since they spend their days on the seas and have the skills required to swim quickly and dive deep to capture the turtles.

Manatee Surveys

The Antillean manatee is an endangered sub-species of the West Indian Manatee; less than 2,500 mature individuals of this subspecies are thought to remain. Belize is home to the largest population of Antillean manatees in the world. We will observe them from the boat at the mouth of the Belize River and elsewhere, recording their sounds and images by drone and photographs. With our support, new speed limit signs have been installed to help reduce collisions between boats and these marine mammals.

Dolphin Surveys

研究人员一直在研究宽吻海豚in this area since the early 90's. aimed at documenting their abundance, distribution, and behavioral ecology in Belize. The research will focus on dolphin behavior in the context of specific habitats. You will accompany the researcher to known dolphin “hotspots” within the atoll to look for small groups as they feed and travel through the area.

Conch Surveys

Queen conch is a popular seafood in Belize. EcoMar is studying conch populations to make sure that the fishery isn’t depleting the population. Participants swim transects in shallow water, looking for conch and measuring them when found and recording data.