Belize - In Brief

October-November 1998

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

Introduction

In spite of its relatively small size, Belize is a country of tremendous geographical diversity, complete with mountains, rain forests, lagoons, and the world's second-largest barrier reef. The landscape is host to some of the northern hemisphere's most diverse flora and fauna, including more than 500 species of birds - a result of the overlap of the North and South American specie ranges. This unique natural environment remains in a near-pristine state. - Belize's 175-mile long barrier reef stretches the entire length of the country's eastern coast. It is considered to be the most beautiful reef of the entire Caribbean, creating a natural aquarium that holds a dazzling variety of tropical marine life. The reef and the clear water it protects are studded with hundreds of uninhabited islands called cayes. Covered with white coral sand, the cayes are home to little but coconut palms, sea grapes, and occasional, romantic-minded adventurers.

Intro. thanks to Jerry Lanz Laughing Bird Adventures, PO Box 332, Olga, WA USA 98279. Ph: 503/621-1167. lbadventures@hotmail.com

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

Photo Courtesy of Island Expeditions

Belize is a small country of approximately 9000 sq. miles, bordered by Mexico to the North, the Caribbean Sea to the East and Guatemala to the west and south. Belize is 750 miles from both Miami and Houston.

The northern half of Belize, which contains the Districts of Corozal, Belize and Orange Walk, is low and undulating, gradually rising from the coast to the Guatemalan border in the west, but rarely exceeding 200 feet in elevation. The area is drained by the New River, the Hondo River and the Belize River which still serves for native transportation from the interior to produce markets in Belize City.

This low lying country is composed of parallel, jungle-covered ridges and depressions which are, in fact, backbones of former coral reefs. Approximately ten to fifteen miles offshore is a string of small islands (cays) some of which possess palm-covered opulence while others are partially or occasionally submerged and mangrove-covered. These islands string out along the entire Belizean coastline The next ridge, just a few miles seaward of this chain of cays, is the famous Barrier Reef whose coral formations appear above the surface of the water only tentatively from time to time and serve to protect the entire 175 mile coastline of Belize from the rough sea. It is the largest continuous reef in the Caribbean.

The shoreward lagoon formed by the barrier reef is 20-25 km wide in the north and close to 40 km wide in the south. The coral reef provides sheltered waters that are teeming with tropical marine life. Reefs are by no means uniform, presenting many different shapes and sizes, caverns, arches and blocks. These features provide ideal habitat and are an important factor in the diversity and distribution of species.

REEF ZONATION

As you travel from west to east, there are three distinct zones of ocean floor, flora and fauna. They are the back reef, the reef crest and the fore reef.

In the back reef zone, the lagoon gradually deepens from the mainland into a channel with sea grass beds before becoming shallow again towards the reef crest. As one approaches the reef crest, there are numerous patch reefs often dominated by brain corals, in anywhere from 2 or 3 feet of water to 30 feet of water. This area of the back reef is very rich in species diversity. It can be thought of as the forest edge bordering on a sea grass savannah.

As one moves further towards the reef crest, the very shallow waters are termed the rubble zone. Much of the debris from the surf and storm, as it pounds the reef crest, is deposited in this area. Because of siltation and high mechanical stresses, this area has few living corals. This is the zone that buffers the lagoon side of the reef from the forces of the open sea.

The fore reef zone withstands severe environmental stresses near the reef crest until it grades downwards towards the depths of the ocean floor. This area, to a depth of approximately 80 ft, represents the highest diversity of the reef. The shallow waters adjacent to the reef crest are a region where the branching corals, predominately elkhorn and staghorn corals, thrive. As one moves further seaward, the waters deepen and huge masses of boulder corals, massive brain corals, lettuce corals and large cactus corals grow. The transition from shallow water to the ocean depths is broken with ledges and gullies.

The southern half of Belize is a plateau, dissected by the relatively low-rising Maya Mountain Range running north and south. The Cockscomb Range, an isolated group of peaks, rises close to the irregular seaward edge of the plateau at its northern extreme. The highest of these peaks is Victoria Peak which rises 3,680 feet in elevation and is the highest measured point in Belize.

VEGETATION

Seasonal broadleaf forest covers a least ninety percent of the country. On the limestone soils of the north, the

forest is deciduous; the sapodilla (Achras sapota) which when tapped like a rubber tree gives a white resinous latex called chicle, is the basis for chewing gum. Grass savannas with scattered oaks, pines and palmetto palms (Paurotis- wright ii) are characteristic of the southern coast and north-central regions. Mangroves fringe the northern coast's river inlets and cover many of the cays.

Flaming red blossoms of the slender flamboyant trees (Delonix regia); thickly flowered hibiscus of every colour; eleanders; pink, orange and purple bougainvillea; red blooming royal poincianas; and the frangipani (plumarial), whose pink-flowered limbs emit a pungent perfume, all give a fragrant and colourful accent to Belize's tree-lined roads and vinechoked jungles. Great purple bunches of orchids grow around the wide-spread roots of "bullet" trees, and "cotton" trees, their crowns spreading like open parachutes. There are some 240 species of wild orchids alone, growing in Belize!

WILDLIFE

Belize is the home of some of the most fascinating creatures in the world, including an opossum only three and a half inches long, turtles that climb trees, ants that practice agriculture and the "twosnakes-in-one" which is exactly that. You should also know this, though: in Belize jaguars are called "tigers", jaguarandis are "tiger cats", howler monkeys are "baboons", deer are "antelope" and moths are called "bats". True bats are "rat-bats" and thought to be natives of the same genus as the moth.

The mangrove swamps are home to frogs and crabs and the Yucatecan Crocodile, locally called "alligator". Belize also has the boa constrictor, here called "wowla", and many varieties of lizards and iguanas.

Belize has about 500 species of birds, many of them rare and beautiful. In size, they vary from the minute hummingbirds, seen whirring about every flowering bush in Belize City, to the jabiru stork, now close to extinction, whose eight-foot wingspan make it the largest stork in America.

Vivid green and yellow wild parrots are seen everywhere in the interior. Larger parrots, the macaws, come in at least two varieties; the flaming scarlet-coloured and the gorgeous red, blue and yellow ones. There is also another type of parrot which is all green with a blue head.

OTHER FACTS

Belize is sub-tropical. Temperatures range from 20 to 35 degrees Celsius (7090F) during the day. Inland conditions can change quickly with afternoon thunderstorms and heavy rainfall common in some parts of the country. Typically, temperatures range from 75° to 90° F with high humidity during the day, dropping at night to 70° to 80° F. From December to May conditions are usually clear, sunny and warm with December generally being cooler and moister.

The population of Belize is approximately 220,000 people, made up of Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, Maya and European. English is the official language but Spanish, Creole, German and Garifuna are also spoken.

Belize is a member of the British Commonwealth and has a stable democratic government. A current passport is required for Canadian, American and British citizens for travel in both Belize and Guatemala. Citizens of other countries should contact their local embassy for entry requirements. The following vaccinations are recommended for protection: Tetanus, Haverix for Hepatitis A. If visiting the rainforest one should take Chloraquine for Malaria.

Weather, wind conditions and proximity to the previous rainy season affect the concentrations of insects found both on the cays and the mainland. While camping on the cays, you may need to take precautions against sandflies, also known as no-see-ums. These jumpers, found in the sand, are most persistent in the early morning and in the evening, especially when the wind is calm.

Water is potable in towns and resort areas. Bottled water is widely available. The Belize Dollar has a fixed rate of $lUS=$2BZ. Belize is located in the Central Time Zone.

KAYAK RENTALS

Kayak rentals are available among other places, through Island Expeditions at.1-800-667-1630. A range of services are available including charters by sea and land, and expedition equipped rentals complete with paddles, skirts, PFDs and pumps.

RECOMMENDED GUIDES:

• Belize: A Natural Destination

• Insight Guides Belize

CHARTS (In Vancouver, from Triton Holdings: 604/294-4444.)

• Colson Point in Belize City, #959

• Monkey River to Colson Point #1797

Compiled with information from Island Expeditions Contact toll free: 800-667-1630 Email: info@islandexpeditions.com Ph: 604/452-3212 Fax: 604/452=3433 Box 69, Portage Rd., D'Arcy, BC VON 1L0