Lamanai Field Research Center

Zoo Miami visit LFRC

robin — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:24:07 +0000

Community outreach and collaboration are the basis of every great conservation project. In March, LFRC hosted Zoo Miami in Belize as part of our new research partnership. The recently developed Conservation and Research Department at Zoo Miami, under the direction of Dr. Frank N. Ridgley, focuses on conserving the natural resources of South Florida and imperiled areas around the world through community education, active research and field work, establishing a culture of sustainable practices and collaboration with their partners. With this first of many technical visits, Zoo Miami joined our research team to meet the community as well as explore the beautiful and diverse landscape.

One of the trip’s highpoints was speaking with village landowners about the human-wildlife conflict in the area over a delicious lunch hosted by one of our participating Mennonite farmers. Zoo Miami and LFRC shared in the first meal amongst a diversity of landowners – it was a poignant moment for all of us. Zoo Miami also visited the local schoolchildren to discuss the role of zoos, the importance of wildlife education, and the need for conservation. The team’s visit was filled with memorable experiences that also included laying the groundwork for studying a population of the critically endangered Central American river turtle, the Hicatee (Dermatemys maweii) and participating in the Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) monitoring project. Zoo Miami also travelled by Mennonite buggy to check camera traps and were at the center to witness first-hand the video documentary of the two male jaguars feeding on the same calf kill. According to the Zoo Miami team, “All of the experiences were both exciting and rewarding, and we are looking forward to developing our relationship in the future.”

Check out the video compilation Frank Ridgley made, as well as photos from the trip:

Video of a Jaguar Eating!

robin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:51:24 +0000

This trip to Belize has been amazing and eventful. As part of our community conservation programs for wildcats we had the opportunity to investigate a calf killed by a jaguar. Due to the vigilance of the landowner we were able to get our new camera traps out on the kill. As an appetizer here is a short video clip. I call it “anything left?”

BBC story about our crocodile research

robin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:24:03 +0000

BBC Travel recently featured our crocodile research at Lamanai in a news story. You can read it here: http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20120201-tagging-crocodiles-in-belize/

Thank you to Alex Robinson for writing this story, as well as the loyal guests of the Lamanai Outpost Lodge for enabling our research to continue, and our field naturalists, who make our research both possible and successful.

To learn more about our crocodile research, visit our Monitoring Belize’s Crocodiles page.

Special thanks to John McAfee for donating an ultralight!

robin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:44:24 +0000

The team here at LFRC would like to send out a huge thank you to John McAfee for donating an ultralight to us. The ultralight is a two-seat weight-shift aircraft. This incredible donation will be an invaluable help as we begin tracking Belize’s cats in the next few months and as we continue our crocodile surveys.

Check out this view of the New River Lagoon from the ultralight at dawn:

Thanks again, John, from Lamanai Field Research Center and the wildlife of Belize!

New LFRC Site Launched!

robin — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:07:31 +0000

We’re proud to announce the launch of our new website.

Check out our Wildlife Research Adventure program and learn about our current research projects. If you’re curious about Morelet’s crocodiles, the video on our crocodile project page is a great place to start.

Feel free to leave us feedback in the comments section, and as always, you can contact … Read more