Community and Society
ACES Urges Caution as Flooding Increases Crocodile Movement
ACES Wildlife Rescue responded to two separate incidents in San Pedro on Wednesday, October 14th. In one, the team relocated a crocodile sheltering beneath a house. In the other, it recovered the body of a three-foot crocodile that appeared to have been run over by a vehicle. According to ACES, recent rainfall and flooding have increased crocodile movement around the island.
Community and Society
Team Chingon Retains Lionfish Tournament Title with 835-Fish Catch
Team Chingon defended its championship at the sixth annual Reef Adventures Lionfish Fishing Tournament, catching 835 lionfish and helping remove 1,737 invasive fish from Belizean waters. The team also earned the prize for the largest lionfish caught during the competition.
Community and Society
Hol Chan Continues Fisheries Enforcement and Marine Conservation Efforts
Hol Chan Marine Reserve continues to work closely with the Belize Fisheries Department to enforce fishing regulations around Ambergris Caye. Alongside patrols, inspections, and public education, the reserve conducts conch population surveys and maintains mooring buoys to protect marine habitats.
Conservation
Belize launches nine-month Climate Ready Campaign
The Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Solid Waste Management launched the Belize Climate Ready Campaign on September 23rd. The nine-month national public education initiative is being led by the Climate Change Department (CCD) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Belize), with support from EUROCLIMA. Government representatives, development partners, and other stakeholders attended the launch to learn about the campaign’s objectives and planned activities.
Community and Society
MarFund Leads Post-Storm Reef Response Workshop in San Pedro
The Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MarFund) hosted a post-storm reef response workshop in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, on August 24th, which included a site visit to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The one-day session provided participants with a firsthand look at post-storm response and conservation efforts being implemented at the reserve.
Community and Society
Community Efforts Intensify as Sargassum Influx Eases in San Pedro
Several San Pedro residents continue to take the initiative to keep the downtown beaches free of Sargassum. Over the past few weeks, residents have reported a slight decrease in the influx of seaweed. As such, those leading beach clean-ups are encouraging beachfront businesses to help remove it. They believe this is an opportune time to join forces, as less Sargassum is washing ashore.
Conservation
Crocodile Encounters in San Pedro and Caye Caulker Prompt Safety Advisory
Recent crocodile encounters in San Pedro and Caye Caulker have prompted wildlife organizations and authorities to raise public awareness, urging residents, businesses, and visitors to avoid feeding or interacting with crocodiles and to report any concerning activity to trained personnel.
Conservation
Forest Department Urges Responsible Behaviour Around Crocodiles
The Belize Forest Department (BFD), in collaboration with ACES Wildlife Rescue and the Crocodile Research Coalition (CRC), is reminding residents, visitors, and businesses to exercise caution and refrain from feeding, approaching, or interacting with crocodiles in their natural habitat. The advisory follows recent reports and social media posts involving human-crocodile interactions, including a recent incident in Caye Caulker Village. While no physical contact or injury was observed in that particular incident, it underscores the importance of responsible behaviour in areas where crocodiles are present.
Community and Society
Island instructors join another successful scuba diving summer program in Punta Gorda
San Pedro dive instructors participated in the fifth annual scuba diving summer program held in Punta Gorda Town, the southernmost municipality in the Toledo District, where a new group of young students earned their Open Water Diver certification. The program, which took students on open water dives between July 31st and August 2nd, aims each year to train up to 20 participants, ages 14 to 24, in scuba diving. The newly certified divers were instructed by San Pedro-based PADI professionals Everette Anderson and Enes Ramirez of Belize Diving Adventures, along with Punta Gorda native Ched Cabral and Estrom Aldana of Reef Adventures. Supporting the team were Assistant Instructor Thomas Cal and logistics coordinators Philip Vernon and Gene Lopez.
Community and Society
Residents say stronger enforcement needed to curb illegal dumping
The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is again warning the public against illegal dumping, particularly on vacant lots across the island. The council reminded residents that disposing of garbage on both private and public properties is illegal and that all waste should be taken to the Solid Waste Transfer Station south of San Pedro. While many islanders agree with the council's message, they say stronger enforcement is needed to address the problem.
Community and Society
BTIA San Pedro Hosts Environmental Discussion on Sargassum and Waste Management
On Wednesday, July 22nd, beginning at 6PM at El Fogon Restaurant, the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) San Pedro Chapter hosted an open informational discussion with San Pedro Town Council Environmental Scientist Valentine Rosado, focusing on sargassum, waste management, beach conditions, and the wider environmental pressures affecting the island. The meeting brought together tourism stakeholders, business owners, and council representatives for a frank conversation about the challenges San Pedro faces and the possible solutions being explored.