The Belize Zoo is less of a traditional zoo to display animals from around the world and more of a rescue center for abandoned and injured animals. Home to more than 145 species of indigenous animals, the Belize Zoo is one of the best places to learn about the incredible diversity of wildlife found in the country.
The Belize Zoo measures approximately 29 acres in size with plenty of space to create comfortable habitats for the animals. The Belize Zoo plays an important role in helping educate both foreign visitors and locals alike about the wide diversity of fauna in the country and the importance of protecting and preserving it.
Founded in 1983, the Belize Zoo is the first facility of its kind to be fully accessible to individuals with reduced or impaired mobility. Animals at the zoo include birds such as parrots, keel-billed toucans, giant harpy eagles, scarlet macaws, vultures, and the endangered Jabiru Stork. The Belize Zoo is also home to reptiles and amphibians, including crocodiles, snakes, salamanders, frogs, and lizards.
Mammals found at the zoo include all five of Belize’s big cat species: jaguars, margays, ocelots, coatis, and jaguarundis. Other mammals found at the zoo include black howler monkeys, gibnuts, tapirs, and the famous kinkajou, sometimes referred to as the “nightwalker.”
There is also a gift shop located on the premises of the zoo. Income from visitor admissions helps the zoo fund its educational programs for the youth of Belize as well as conservation programs such as its jaguar rehabilitation program and harpy eagle restoration program. Proceeds also help fund the Belize Zoo’s continuing mission to provide care for injured, orphaned and abandoned animals from all across the country.
The Belize Zoo is located approximately a 30-minute drive west of Belize City and receives over 68,000 visitors every year.