Author: Chabil Mar Manager

Most visitors to Belize will want to experience the white sand beaches and the warm Caribbean water before returning home. But there is so much more to Belize than you may realize. Did you know that Belize is home to the world’s only jaguar preserve? It has become the best place to learn about the Western hemisphere’s largest big cat and the third largest in the world.

Jaguars once roamed freely in an area stretching from the southwest United States to the grasslands of central Argentina. Over the years, their range has been greatly reduced. This is mainly due to road development through crucial parts of the jungle and the burning forests by farmers to plant crops. The species has also decreased significantly in numbers because of its popularity with hunters for its teeth and skin. In addition, farmers will kill jaguars if they believe they are responsible for killing their livestock. Belize has outlawed the hunting of jaguars and has become one of the few countries that has a healthy and thriving jaguar population.

Once fairly common in mangroves, savannas, and lowland forests, jaguars in Belize are now typically found only in the protected preserves. They mostly hunt at night and are known to feast on peccaries, howler monkeys, deer, turtles, birds, lizards, and fish. Jaguars have the most powerful jaws of any big cat and can take down their prey with a single bite to the skull. They are stealthy and are not commonly seen by humans during the day, although paw prints, animal carcasses, and loud nighttime roars are evidence of their presence.

Solitary by nature, jaguars only come together to mate. Jaguar cubs reach maturity by age three and adults can weigh between 100 and 250 pounds, measure up to 6 feet and have a tail up to 30 inches long. Jaguars can be born black with inconspicuous spots beneath their fur or with the more well-known yellow with black-spot coloring.

A trip to the world-renowned Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve is an opportunity to explore the jaguar’s habitat. This 150 square-mile sanctuary was established as a jaguar preserve in 1984 and is home to approximately 200 wild jaguars. The preserve’s main purposes are to provide a safe haven for this endangered animal, conserve the jaguar’s natural habitat, and educate the public.

If you’re looking for accommodations during your visit to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve, Chabil Mar in Placencia is close and convenient. Our award-winning full-service resort has luxury suites and villas surrounded by lush tropical gardens, beach views, and fine dining options. 

Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize, and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call US/CAN Toll Free: 1-866-417-2377, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize vacation.

Do you have to be a kid to develop a fascination with primates? Not if you like being entertained. While the globe’s primate population may be declining, “New World Monkey” species making their homes from Mexico to Argentina are thriving. 

Just ask editors at Nature.com. Their roster of monkey types begins with the one and only howler monkey, a mammal that can be heard from a distance of half a mile away.

Howlers are the most audaciously outspoken critters in Belize. They’re most likely to make themselves known when anything or anyone—-human or animal—-attempts to invade their neighborhoods. Don’t believe us? Check out this YouTube video for a sampling of their howls:

Howler monkeys inhabiting Belize’s forests and jungles rarely search for sustenance because it’s all around them. Though classified as omnivores, howler diets tend to be vegetarians, always on the lookout for raw fruits and vegetables that keep energy levels high enough to race from branch to branch over forest and jungle canopies.

Belize’s howlers are quite happy to be living in a nation that offers so much dietary variety that it’s easy to maintain an average weight of between 15 and 22 pounds. Are there overweight howler monkeys? Not really. They move around too much and so much activity results in an average lifespan of from 15 to 20 years.

It’s unusual to find a howler hanging out alone. These creatures stay in family groups that can number up to 20 kin. Like most primate groups, an older male is likely the head of the household, but everyone in the clan has a unique personality.

Despite the danger indigenous jaguars present, howler monkeys love to “irritate” these big cats on the ground by pelting them with branches and sticks for fun. Far from reach on distant tree branches, howlers are smart enough to know that if they get closer, they could become lunch.

Howler monkeys have excellent vision and they are enthusiastic swimmers. They love to hang out along the Monkey River. Wouldn’t you like if someone named a body of water in your honor?

What’s the best way to see these entertaining creatures? Come to Belize for a visit and take in Belize’s Monkey River Tour, not far from Placencia Village.  Once there, feel free call these howlers by their Latin name Alouatta pigra or use the Creole word Baboon to get their attention.

About The Monkey River Howler Tour *

You will never forget a trip to Monkey River. Your trip begins dockside from Chabil Mar Resort, where your guide picks you up by boat, for your adventure. Prepare to weave your way through the mangroves, where it’s not uncommon to see a peaceful manatee lumbering by. Continue along the coastline where you will reach the mouth of the river at the Village of Monkey River. From there you will travel upstream through the Belize rainforest. Along the way you may witness exotic bird life, crocodiles and howler monkeys feeding in the shoreline trees of this tropical jungle paradise. You will then take a jungle hike and see amazing plant and animal life as you search for troops of exotic howler monkeys. Back at Monkey River Town, you’ll enjoy a traditional Belizean lunch and an optional walkabout in the idyllic Belizean village. Then it’s back onboard your skiff for the return trip back up the coast and through the mangroves to Chabil Mar Resort, with a stop to view the manatees lumbering at a nearby island favorite of theirs.

Advance reservations are currently being snapped up so take advantage of Chabil Mar deals while you can. Just imagining yourself at Chabil Mar is likely to buoy your spirits and make your current situation more tolerable!  

Dangriga Town will charm you with its color, vibrancy and friendliness. The town is the capital of the Stann Creek District in Southern Belize. With a small population of over 9,000 people, it’s small enough to be enjoyed in a day.

Get to Know a Vibrant Community

Dangriga Town is often called the cultural capital of Belize because it’s the heart of Belize’s Garifuna culture. The Garifuna are descended from slaves who escaped from a sinking ship. Over the years, the escaped slaves mingled with the indigenous people of St Vincent in the Caribbean and then migrated to the coastlines of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. Today, the Garifuna people live in communities like Dangriga, Hopkins, Placencia and Punta Gorda.

Enjoy Art and Culture

Dangriga Town is the birthplace of Punta Rock, an authentic Belizean musical style. It’s also home to festivals that celebrate Garifuna music, art and food. Spend some time at the Gulisi Garifuna Museum to learn more about this vibrant, thriving people.

Make sure to make your way to the Pen Cayetano Art Gallery, owned by the celebrated Garifuna painter and musician Pen Cayetano.

Get Close to Nature

Natural beauty is never far away in Belize, and Dangriga Town is no exception. It’s surrounded by pristine rainforest, sandy beaches, coconut trees and the Maya Mountains. Dangriga Town is close to the southern edge of the Belize Barrier Reef. It’s also close to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the most beautiful natural areas in Belize.

Taste True Belizean Flavor

The Garifuna people have added to Belize’s rich ethnic flavor. You can get a taste of that in the delicious, freshly cooked meals you’ll enjoy here. Sample some traditional Garifuna dishes like sere, a stew made from fish and coconut milk. Dangriga has other specialties like cashew wine, mashed plantains and cassava bread.

Do you love chocolate? Learn how the ancient Maya of Belize make their world-famous Maya chocolate at the Maya Center which is located a few miles outside of Dangriga Town. At the Maya Center you can sign up for a farm-to-factory tour with a master chocolate maker. The tour includes a trip to a cacao plantation.

Chabil Mar

Every trip to Belize should include the beautiful beaches and fun, friendly towns of southern Belize. At the Chabil Mar, we’re in the perfect location for all your Belize explorations. We offer luxury accommodations and we’ll help you enjoy all that Belize has to offer.