Saving manatees and monkeys in Belize

It's not just manatees - there is always a steady flow of wildlife moving through Wildtracks - including monkeys, raccoons, coatis, and many others. Working closely with the Belize Forest Department, we provide rehabilitation for any animal (with the exception of the large cats - jaguars and pumas) that needs a second chance at life in the wild….

Our newest arrival in the Primate Nursery Unit is Midge, short for “Midget,” a globally Endangered Yucatán black howler monkey. She came to us a month ago, and was estimated to be just one week old. Since then, she has been settling in - feeding well, gaining strength each day, and beginning to explore her world. When she’s not resting in her incubator, she’s hard at work building the muscles and skills she will need for her future back in the wild. Midge still has a long rehabilitation journey ahead, but one day she will be ready to join others of her kind and return to the forest where she belongs. Each arrival like hers reminds us why wildlife rescue is so essential for Belize’s biodiversity.

Over in the Manatee Rehabilitation Area, we also welcomed Twix, now in intensive care. At around eight months old, he is older than our usual manatee intakes and arrived with pneumonia. He is not out of the woods yet - his breathing is still raspy, but he is eating well and remains lively and inquisitive, giving us hope. Twix is currently on antibiotics and in quarantine until his health stabilizes, after which he will join Kit and Kat.

Kit and Kat, our two younger manatees, have begun their soft-release phase, heading out into the lagoon each day to explore their natural environment. Earlier this month, they were joined by an unexpected visitor - a third manatee who swam up to greet them. Thanks to the tiny PIT tags (microchips) that all released manatees carry, we were able to identify him as Mitch. Mitch first came to Wildtracks in 2014 as a small calf and was released in 2016. Nearly a decade later, he has grown into a large, healthy adult - an inspiring reminder of the long-term success of wildlife rehabilitation.

We also have exciting updates on facility development. The construction team is completing our second intensive-care pool, the protective mosquito-free enclosure for the intensive-care area is nearly finished, and a new grant has just been approved to build bathroom facilities for the rehabilitation center. These improvements ensure we are well prepared for the future and can continue providing the highest standard of care.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Whether a volunteer or a donor, you make it possible for us to rescue, heal, and return these amazing but threatened animals to the wild....watch out for our Giving Tuesday appeal on December 2nd, where every donation goes a little further from GlobalGiving matching funds - support from our Wildtracks family is critical, helping us give every rescued animal the future they deserve.