Help Save the Yellow-headed Parrots at Monkey Bay
Donation protected
Established on Earth Day 1990, Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is a 1070 acre privately protected area located in the heart of Central Belize. Monkey Bay, along with a handful of other neighboring private protected areas, communities, and stakeholders, form the backbone of the Maya Forest Corridor – a critical link between the vast forest reserves in the North and South of the country. The Sanctuary is home to 325 species of birds, 5 species of wild cat (including the Jaguar, ocelot, margay), and other endangered mammals such as the Black Howler Monkey and Baird’s Tapir.
In a normal year, the Sanctuary would host 500-800 students from Belize and around the world to learn about Belizean ecosystems, culture, and conservation efforts. The entrance fees provided by these student groups enabled Sanctuary staff to perform various tasks including biodiversity monitoring, law enforcement, landscape management, and research.
However, like many businesses Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was hit hard by the global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sadly, it has been 18 months since any student groups have visited the Sanctuary. As a result, the funds used to perform these critical tasks have run out and we have been forced to reduce our overall efforts to the detriment of the Sanctuary and its wild residents.
The Sanctuary is under constant threat of human encroachment from the expansion of agriculture, poaching wildlife, illegal logging, and dumping of garbage. On our most recent patrol, we discovered two Yellow Headed Parrot (Amazona oratrix belizensis) nests that had been poached in recent days. This endemic subspecies is critically endangered in its range and the nesting habitat (old growth pine) at Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the last strongholds for this species in Belize.
We must remain vigilant to protect the wildlife for our future generations.
We would like to ask YOU to help enable us to do more!
Your contribution to this funding campaign will support one of the following projects at Monkey Bay:
-Employment of a Ranger / Special Constable to provide security and monitoring efforts.
-Community education and outreach programs for youth.
-Yellow-headed Parrot nest site monitoring and installation of artificial nest boxes to supplement existing nesting habitat.
-Camera trap monitoring effort to track wildlife movement and illegal incursions into the property.
-Planning and implementation of a prescribed fire regime to support regeneration of a healthy pine forest (parrot nesting habitat).
-Wildfire response and suppression.
-Equipment and training for personnel to accomplish these tasks.
Thank You in advance for your generous support.
Updates on our progress to follow!
In Stewardship,
Eli Miller, Family and Monkey Bay Staff
In a normal year, the Sanctuary would host 500-800 students from Belize and around the world to learn about Belizean ecosystems, culture, and conservation efforts. The entrance fees provided by these student groups enabled Sanctuary staff to perform various tasks including biodiversity monitoring, law enforcement, landscape management, and research.
However, like many businesses Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was hit hard by the global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sadly, it has been 18 months since any student groups have visited the Sanctuary. As a result, the funds used to perform these critical tasks have run out and we have been forced to reduce our overall efforts to the detriment of the Sanctuary and its wild residents.
The Sanctuary is under constant threat of human encroachment from the expansion of agriculture, poaching wildlife, illegal logging, and dumping of garbage. On our most recent patrol, we discovered two Yellow Headed Parrot (Amazona oratrix belizensis) nests that had been poached in recent days. This endemic subspecies is critically endangered in its range and the nesting habitat (old growth pine) at Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the last strongholds for this species in Belize.
We must remain vigilant to protect the wildlife for our future generations.
We would like to ask YOU to help enable us to do more!
Your contribution to this funding campaign will support one of the following projects at Monkey Bay:
-Employment of a Ranger / Special Constable to provide security and monitoring efforts.
-Community education and outreach programs for youth.
-Yellow-headed Parrot nest site monitoring and installation of artificial nest boxes to supplement existing nesting habitat.
-Camera trap monitoring effort to track wildlife movement and illegal incursions into the property.
-Planning and implementation of a prescribed fire regime to support regeneration of a healthy pine forest (parrot nesting habitat).
-Wildfire response and suppression.
-Equipment and training for personnel to accomplish these tasks.
Thank You in advance for your generous support.
Updates on our progress to follow!
In Stewardship,
Eli Miller, Family and Monkey Bay Staff
Organizer
Eli Miller
Organizer
Atlanta, GA
