Text and photos : Gail. B. Lash
The Community Baboon Sanctuary was created along the Belize River to conserve one of the last healthy populations of the endangered Black Howler monkey (Alouatta pigra), known in the local Creole language as “baboon”. Founded in February of 1985, this sanctuary is completely made up of private lands, protected on a voluntary basis. Each owner pledged 1) to keep the forests intact alongside the Belie River, 2) to preserve fruit trees and other trees important to the howler monkeys on his or her rural lands, and 3) to keep the trees and vegetation along property lines, creating an aerial corridor for the monkeys to travel from one property to another.
Beginning with landowners in the central village of Bermudian Landing, this voluntary sanctuary spread to include the six adjacent villages of Isabella Bank, Flowers Bank, Double Head Cabbage, Willows Bank, Scotland Half Moon, and St. Paul’s Bank/Big Falls. These quaint rural communities, populated mainly by Creole families, stretch approximately 20 miles along the banks of the Belize River. Large farms sprawl alongside the river’s edge, making this picturesque waterway a primary attraction for canoe trips, horse riding, monkey viewing, bird watching, and relaxing in thatch-roofed cabanas. Local vegetable farms, as well as cattle and pig ranching, are still the main use of the land, however more residents are becoming involved in ecotourism as a way of life.
The CBS is managed by a local non-profit organization, the Women’s Conservation Group (WCG), comprised of one representative (mostly women) from each of the seven villages. The number of pledged lands has grown over the years, and the CBS has become an integral part of the fabric of this rural society. Originally supported by annual funds from the World Wildlife Fund, the Milwaukee County Zoo, the Belize Audubon Society, and private donations, CBS now has been awarded several grants that have helped to build new facilities, train staff, and run the training workshops for community residents in tourism, business, leadership, crafts, computers, and reforestation.
The essence of rural life in Belize can be felt, seen, and heard in the CBS villages, forests, and streams. For the visitor, it is a peaceful existence – a far cry from the bustling development of nearby Belize City. In order to preserve its natural and cultural heritage, the CBS has strived to involve many residents in the decision-making of this private sanctuary – and not always succeeding in pleasing the majority, nor benefiting all. But even in times past when the CBS seemed about to fail, the people of the area have protected the monkeys, and the local rural way of life, and been willing to continue dialogue on how to make the CBS better, benefiting both people and wildlife. Ecotourism has brought a new way of life – a blending of the old and the new. It has diverted the urban sprawl of nearby Belize City, creating an oasis of rural, tropical paradise, and providing jobs and opportunities for the local Creole farmers and their children for years to come.
Location
Getting to the Community Baboon Sanctuary is easy – it is located just 26 miles from Belize City, on the road to Burrell Boom and Rancho Delores, off of the Northern Highway. There are buses that run daily, to and from the CBS and Belize City. Renting a car allows you easy access to all seven villages, and a more flexible time schedule than the bus.
A small and informative natural history Museum, located in Bermudian Landing, houses the CBS offices, and serves as the focal point for tourists to check in at the CBS, see monkeys, book tours, and find places to stay. Another museum, the Creole Heritage Museum, is located in St. Paul’s Bank, and has wonderful information about the history of the Creole rural lifestyle, with artefacts from fifty to one hundred years ago of life on the farm.
The CBS is located very close to Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, a national park featuring migratory and local waterfowl. Additionally, in Rancho Delores, the Spanish Creek Wildlife Sanctuary was formed by a local community-based organization, following in the footsteps of the CBS. All of these natural preserves are open to visitors, and offer a more complete view of Belize’s beautiful waterways and wildlife, and both wet and dry tropical forests. Dirt trails and paved roads link these sanctuaries, and it is sometimes possible to travel from one to the other by boat, car, or horse. Also, nearby are the famous ruins of the Mayan archaeological site of Altun Ha, along the Old Northern Highway.
The rainy season in Belize is from June until November, and access on some of the smaller roads and trails can get muddy and difficult. However, the rain brings out the lushness of the vegetation, and less tourists. December to March is most popular, as it is dry, but not too dry, and the temperature is quite pleasant.
Contact
There are several operators doing business in the CBS – check their websites (below) for details on tours and bookings.
As for the official CBS contact, it is Mrs. Jesse Young, President of the Women’s Conservation Group (WCG). Her address is :
Ms. Jesse Young
Présidente du Women’s Conservation Group (WCG)
Community Baboon Sanctuary
P.O. Box 1428
Belize City, Belize
Tel. : (501) 021-2181
E-mail :baboon@btl.net
Their email is not always working, so the best way to book a tour and stay is to call, or just show up !
Cultural & background information about the community & Belize
1) Horwich, Robert H., and Jonathan Lyon, 1990. A Belizean Rain Forest : The Community Baboon Sanctuary. Gays Mills, Wisconsin (USA) : Orang-u-tan Press.
2) Sutherland, Anne, 1998. The Making of Belize : Globalization in the Margins. London : Bergin & Garvey.
3) Mahler, Richard and Steele Wotkyns, 1991. Belize : A Natural Destination. Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA) : John Muir Publications.
4) Mahler, Richard, 1999. Belize : Adventures in Nature. Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA) : John Muir Publications.
5) Beletsky, Les, 1999. Belize and Northern Guatemala. London : Academy Press.
6) Mallan, Chicki, 1991. Belize Handbook. Chico, California (USA) : Moon Publications.
7) Fodor’s Travel Publications, 1998. Fodor’s Belize & Guatemala : The Complete Guide with Mayan Ruins, River Trips and Dive Sites. London : Fodor’s Travel Publications.
8) Rabinowitz, Alan, 1986. Jaguar : One Man’s Battle to Establish the World’s First Jaguar Preserve. London : Anchor Books Doubleday.
9)http://www.ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/parkcommunitybaboon.html
10) http://members.aol.com/Belriver/baboon.htm
11) http://www.moon.com/planner/belize/mustsee/baboon.html
12) http://www.belize-vacation.com/belize/baboon.htm
13) http://www.caribbeanmag.com/search/attractions/Belize/Community_Baboon_Sanctuary_Belize.shtml
14) http://www.travelbelize.org/cbs.html
15) http://www.belizereport.com/sites/howler.html
16) http://www.epinions.com/Community_Baboon_Sanctuary_-_Belize/display_ reviews
Range of activities and services offered
Activities are organized by the CBS offices at the Museum, and by individual residents. Because all CBS lands are private, visitors need a guide to accompany them along the trails or river while seeing the monkeys and enjoying nature. The village streets are open to tourists for walking, mingling with residents at a cricket match, local grocery store, or a “Cool Spot” – a place where one can sit down, drink a cold beverage, and hang out with local folks.
Activities are geared to small groups – couples or families – mostly under 10 people. Larger groups can be served, with lodging and with tours, if notice is given in advance.
There are many things to do and see in the CBS. Howler monkeys are easily seen, both from trails on the land and when boating along the river. They have no fear of humans, and so it is possible to get quite close to them. A 3-hour canoe trip from Double Head Cabbage to Bermudian Landing costs around US$25 per canoe. You can actually canoe along the entire 20 miles of the Belize River where the CBS exists, as well as go north into Spanish Creek and Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.
Horseback riding is another great way to get around the CBS, and to see the land in its natural state – weaving in and out of the trees and farms along the trails from Flowers Bank to Mussel Creek, or from Isabella Bank to Bermudian Landing. These 3-hour tours, with a guide, cost about US$30 per horse.
There are at least two lodges available in Bermudian Landing – one run by the WCG, and one private lodge named The Nature Resort. Both have cabañas with electricity, private baths, and serene porches. Both have small restaurants and gathering places for guests, near the Belize River. Prices of rooms range from US$35 to $50 per night. Additionally, if you wish to stay in a room in a local family house, there are several that are available. This is a great way to get to know the local residents, sample truly local cuisine, and get into the rhythm of the slow pace of Belize.