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| About IZE | Tours & Packages | South Water Caye | Blue Creek Rainforest Lodge | Summer 2011 | Request Info |
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| Learn about Belize > Plants & Animals ...................................................................................... Plants & Animals The uniquely diverse environment of Belize supports a wide variety of exotic plants and animals, including the fearsome piranha, primitive hoatzin birds, jaguars, ocelots, tapirs, armadillos, and anteaters. Flora Despite its small size, Belize supports a relatively diverse range of plants and forest habitats. It is home to an estimated 4,000 species of flowering plants, including over 730 tree species and some 280 orchid species. For these reasons, Belize has been called "a Garden of Eden," and it is one of the few countries where thousands of acres of forest are still in semi-pristine condition. Due to its somewhat northerly latitude (15º to 19º N), Belize is considered sub-tropical, with varying rainfall, temperatures, and humidity throughout the country effecting even the growth of the common mangrove. Among the plantlife of Belize you'll find mangroves, bamboo, palms, and swamp cypresses, as well as ferns, vines, and flowers creeping from tree to tree, creating a dense growth. Rainforests Further south in the Toledo district at Blue Creek you'll encounter classic tropical rainforest species, including tall mahoganies, campeche, sapote, and ceiba, one of the tallest trees in the jungle. In this remote area you'll also find exotic orchids in many sizes, shapes and colors. Of the 71 orchid species reported in Belize, 20% are terrestrial (growing in the ground) and 80% are epiphytic (attached to a host plant - in this case trees - and deriving most of it's moisture and nutrients from the air and rain). Fruits & nuts Many exotic fruits and nuts can also been found in Belize, from the edible tamarind pod to tropical bananas, pineapples, passion fruit and sapodilla fruit, a sweet, granular fruit prized by the locals. Cacao and cashew nuts are also part of this amazing tropical diversity. Fauna Mammals Belize is known for its cats, including the endangered nocturnal Jaguar; the beautiful striped and spotted ocelot; the Jaguarundi; the puma or mountain lion; and the margay, the smallest of the Belizean cats (weighing in at about 11 pounds). In addition, you'll find monkeys such as the black howler monkey and the smaller spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), as well as the ant-eating tamandua, the omnivorous coati, and the piglike collared pecarry (Peccary angulatus). Birds With it's lush trees and brush, Belize is home to more exotic, rarely seen birds than almost any other location in Central America. From the spectacularlly hued keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) - the national bird of Belize - to the king vulture (Sarcoramphus papa), orinthologists and nature-lovers alike will thrill at the brilliant colors and diversity of birds in Belize. Along the shores of South Water Caye you may spot the magnificent black frigate bird (Fregata magnificens) peacefully sharing nesting space with rare red-footed boobies (Sula sula) and other birds. In the jungles at Blue Creek the jabiru stork (Jabiru mycteria) and keel-billed toucan can be seen high up in the trees in open areas above the rainforest. Insects & reptiles |
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