March 2022 - Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for The Hammock

March 30, 2022/1 Comment/in Blog, Facilities /by Tyler Sanville

In February 2022, BFREE Executive Director, Jacob Marlin, and BFREE Facilities Manager, Marcelino Pop, using a machete, cut the fluorescent pink flagging tape to celebrate the completion of BFREE’s newest facility, the Hammock. Staff and visiting guests, and volunteers cheered along for this momentous occasion.

The Hammock remains in the exact location as BFREE’s Bunkhouse that was built in 1998—situated 200m from the river and under the hulking shade of a massive 140-foot Ceiba tree. Replacing the original four rooms with twelve bunk beds is now six-private rooms and a 10’x’32’ open-air veranda and observation deck serving as a great spot to view wildlife like the Harpy eagle!

With twenty-four beds in total, the bunkhouse can now sleep 24 – 28 individuals. The four corner rooms have one full bed and twin bunk beds, and the two center rooms have two triple bunk beds. Each room has a light and fan. Next to every bed is an electrical outlet, nightstand, and a locked safe box. The Hammock was designed to accommodate all types of visitation and now includes other hangout and relaxing spaces amongst the many hammocks hanging from the veranda and a place to play ping-pong under the building.

The most exciting aspect of this new building is that it is nearly 100% zero waste. The original bunkhouse was dismantled board by board, and each piece of material was evaluated to determine if it could be reused, including boards, nails, and roofing. With the exception of the new roof and tongue and groove flooring, all of the material used to build the Hammock came from salvaged dead trees from the BFREE property. The trees were then milled into lumber by chainsaw. Paying tribute to the trees of BFREE, each of the Hammock’s six rooms is named after a tree species found on the BFREE Reserve: Salmwood, Santa Maria, Cantimo, Yemery, Ceiba, and Sapodilla.

The Hammock housed its first visitors in February and many of the rooms have been occupied over the last few weeks. We look forward to many more guests enjoying this beautiful facility for years to come!

**The Hammock at night under the stars. Photos by Jorge Silva Rivera**.

BFREE Wildlife & Conservation Status Directory

March 28, 2022/0 Comments/in Bird Conservation, Bladen Nature Reserve, Blog, Research, Uncategorized /by Tyler Sanville

BFREE Program Manager, Tyler Sanville, used data created by visiting and resident biologists to develop a complete list of the known organisms with the exception of snails, insects, and butterflies documented to date in the BFREE Reserve, along with their IUCN Status and Population Trend.

Known species found on the BFREE Privately Protected Area include six endangered (EN), seven vulnerable (VU), and twenty-one nearly threatened (NT) species of wildlife.BFREE’s Wildlife & Conservation Status Directory includes 95 mammal species, 324 bird species, 71 reptile species, 27 amphibian species, and 27 fish species. This list is based on the most up-to-date information available and is by no means complete. You can view the entire list of the nearly 550 species found at BFREE below.

BFREE-Wildlife-Conservation-Status-Directory Download

Returning Volunteers are key to the success of bi-annual Hicatee Health Assessments

March 17, 2022/0 Comments/in Blog, Hicatee Turtles, Turtle Conservation /by Heather Barrett

A team of biologists, veterinarians, and turtle lovers gathered at BFREE in early March for our 14th bi-annual health assessment of the Central American River Turtle locally named Hicatee. We’ve learned so much since our first Hicatee health assessment in September 2014. The act of weighing, measuring, and reviewing the health of hundreds of turtles over the years, has allowed us to refine our methods and be much more focused and efficient than in those early days.

Returning volunteers also help with our improved efficiency during the health assessments. Instead of training a new team on the various protocols, volunteers arrive armed with experience and enthusiasm. We are thrilled that the Dimmitt and Gregory family team have consistently participated in the February/ March Health Assessments since 2019. Their involvement means that BFREE staff along with Wildlife Veterinarian, Dr. Isabelle Paquet-Durand, can jump into the required activities with the knowledge that we have competent volunteers managing each of their assigned roles.

Of her participation in the assessment, Doris Dimmitt stated “We look forward to this every year and are always happy to help in any way that we can.” And help they do. When the Dimmitts and Gregorys arrive, they are always equipped with donated supplies for BFREE and for local schools, and they show up ready for any task. Doris and her husband Rod, whose last visit was late February 2020 just prior to COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic, especially enjoy the time in nature at BFREE and describe their annual trip as a much-needed reboot for their spirit and sense of hope for the world.

Tim Gregory and Mark Canti weigh an adult Hicatee

Participants: Zoo New England Staff: Bryan Windmiller and Emilie Wilder; Visiting Veterinarian: Elliott Jacobson, Professor Emeritus, University of Florida, Visiting Biologist: Dave Rostal, Southern Georgia University, Local Veterinarian: Isabelle Paquet-Durand, Visiting Volunteers: Doris Dimmitt, Rod Dimmit, Emily Gregory, Tim Gregory, and Alexi Dart. BFREE staff: Thomas Pop, Jonathan Dubon, Mark Canti, Elmer Tzalam, Jacob Marlin, and Heather Barrett. BFREE Team Hicatee chef: Edwardo Pop.

Thanks to Zoo New England for their support of this health assessment as well as for their on-going support.

Additional Blog Posts About the March 2022 Hicatee Health Assessment:

Zoo New England Staff Use Morphometric Imagery to Determine Sex of Hicatee Turtles at BFREE

Determining Sex Ratios on Captive-born Hicatee at the March 2022 Hicatee Health Assessment

Autumn Dietrich Completes 10-week Internship at BFREE

March 16, 2022/0 Comments/in Blog, Cacao, Conservation, Eco-Tourism, Fellows, Internship, Student, Uncategorized /by Tyler Sanville

BFREE internship opportunities have returned since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. After more than two years of not hosting interns, Autumn Dietrich is welcomed with open arms to BFREE for a 10-week program from January to March 2022.

Autumn and Cacao Fellow, Mark Canti pose for a photo with a young cacao tree.

Autumn is no stranger to BFREE. She first visited on a Field Course as an undergrad with Western Michigan University in 2018. On a hike with Protected Areas Manager, Sipriano Canti, Autumn describes the experience as having changed her life. Impressed by the sheer scale of life that existed at BFREE, she hiked with her fellow classmates winding through trees, climbing embankments of creeks, and cutting through giant leaves. The hike led the group to the Ranger Observation Post on the boundary of BFREE and the neighboring farming village of Trio. Autumn’s excitement turned to dismay as she witnessed for the first time the harsh boundary line between a healthy and thriving forest and a large expanse of farmland. At this moment, she felt an overwhelming feeling that she wanted to help make a difference and help support protected areas. She knew she would come back to BFREE.

After graduation, Autumn applied to return to BFREE as an intern for three months, April – June 2020. At the time, we had no idea we would soon be facing a global pandemic. Determined not to give up on her dream to return to BFREE, Autumn’s postponed trip came to fruition this year when she traveled to Belize in January.

Autumn worked alongside BFREE staff during her ten-week internship, providing invaluable support. Her first week was spent documenting and assisting a research crew from Kutztown University. They are establishing a long-term experiment that quantifies the influence of Yucatán black howler monkeys on biodiversity and ecosystem function in Belize. She then assisted Cacao Fellow, Mark Canti on a large-scale survey of the cacao farm to determine the farm’s overall health. When not focused on collating the cacao survey data, Autumn assisted Housekeeping Manager, Ofelia Cus with preparing accommodations for visitors and BFREE Chef, Edwardo Pop in the kitchen.

In addition to supporting BFREE’s various conservation initiatives, Autumn, immersed herself in learning and experiencing Belizean culture. She was honored when Operations Manager, Elmer Tzalam and his wife Gina invited her to spend a weekend with them at their home in Golden Stream. Autumn loved spending time with Elmer and Gina’s two children, Esther (12) and Travis (9), and enjoyed a delicious homemade dinner of panades, a dish that’s similar to empanadas but with a Belizean and Mayan twist.

Living full-time at BFREE for ten weeks brings plenty of challenges. The remote location and intense heat are not for the faint of heart. However, Autumn not only thrived during her two+ months, but she also brought so much joy and laughter to the BFREE community. Thank you so much, Autumn, for your sincere dedication to BFREE’s mission and for being an incredible and loyal team player. We all look forward to seeing you amongst the giant ceibas again one day!

Autumn and Deputy Director, Heather Barrett show off the new triple bunk in the Hammock!

Feste Film Crew Visits the HCRC

March 11, 2022/0 Comments/in Blog, Central American River Turtle, dermatemys mawii, Hicatee Turtles, Turtle Conservation /by Heather Barrett

In collaboration with the European Nature Trust, The Feste Film crew has been traveling throughout Belize, documenting the country’s many important conservation initiatives since January.

This week, the crew stopped at BFREE to learn about our work to preserve the critically endangered Central American River Turtle, locally known as the Hicatee. They are interviewing BFREE staff at our Hicatee Conservation and Research Center (HCRC) and learning about our captive breeding program and rewilding goals for this critically endangered species.

Crew member setting up to film at the Hicatee ponds.

The Feste Film crew beats the heat with BFREE bandanas!

A New Species of Coccidia Described in D. mawii

March 9, 2022/0 Comments/in Blog, Central American River Turtle, dermatemys mawii, Hicatee Turtles, Turtle Conservation /by Heather Barrett

We are pleased to announce a recent publication in the Journal of Parasitology that describes a new coccidian protozoan, Eimeria grayi. Named after the biologist who described Dermatemys mawii, this is the first description of a coccidian in the Central American River Turtle. The discovery of this bacteria advances our understanding of this under-studied and monotypic species of turtle. This coccidian was identified in captive turtles at the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center at the BFREE Field Station in southern Belize. We do not know if this coccidian exists in wild turtles.

The publication was a team effort and we are especially grateful to Dr. Elliott Jacobson who took the lead on this important effort.

22-Jacobson-et-al.E.gray-in-the-hicatee.-2 Download

Documentarians visit BFREE

March 8, 2022/0 Comments/in Bladen Nature Reserve, Blog, Conservation, Eco-Tourism, News, Uncategorized /by Tyler Sanville

Professional photographers, videographers, and documentarians Jorge Silva Rivera and Carlos Miguel Herrera traveled from Chiapas, Mexico, to BFREE for 10-days in February 2022. Working with Zamia Media, the pair set out to document the people, facilities, wildlife, and natural beauty of BFREE. Zamia Media will then use the images and videos captured during their time to create updated visuals for BFREE to use on our website and in other marketing materials.

The duo has vast experience documenting remote, hard-to-reach places throughout southern Mexico and has worked to discover and learn more about some of the most ancient and biodiverse locations in the world.

During their time at BFREE, they spent several days interviewing all of the staff and many of the volunteers and other visitors who overlapped with their visit. They used multiple drones to capture BFREE’s privately protected area and spent hours photographing the flora and fauna throughout the property. It was an honor to host Jorge and Carlos at BFREE and such an incredible experience to have them alongside our team for nearly two weeks.

We understand the importance of documenting our work and sharing the incredible place that is BFREE. However, it can be difficult to do so when all of the other work is so demanding. We are so grateful to have had these two professionals join us so that we can continue #BringingBFREEToYou!

Carlos, left and Jorge, right at the beginning of the BFREE Entrance Road.

BFREE is for the People!

March 8, 2022/0 Comments/in Blog, Conservation /by Tyler Sanville

Visiting volunteer, Autumn Dietrich captured these incredible candid images of many of the BFREE staff that show the incredible and inspiring faces behind our important and necessary conservation work. It wouldn’t be possible to be the successful conservation organization that we are today without the people who make BFREE. A special thanks to Autumn for sharing these photos and to the staff of BFREE who inspire all of us to keep working to make the world a better place!

What is BFREE?
BFREE is a place for dreams, ideas, and experiences.
It’s a place for innovation and incubation.
BFREE is a privately protected area that borders, links, and serves as a corridor between four national protected areas.
It’s a physical buffer between increasing encroachment and unsustainable land-use practices.
BFREE is a place for research, discovery, and education.
It’s a place for training, mentorship, and inspiring future generations.
BFREE is for the community and the people!

Cacao Fellow, Mark Canti Illustrates Passion for Wildlife

March 8, 2022/0 Comments/in agroforestry, Blog, Cacao, Fellows, Hicatee Turtles, Turtle Conservation, Uncategorized /by Tyler Sanville

BFREE Cacao Fellow, Mark Canti, continues to shine in various disciplines at BFREE. In his first year of the two-year Cacao Fellowship program, Mark has proven to be talented in cacao grafting and data collection. Though his focus is primarily on cacao, Mark has expressed that his interests are more than just agroforestry and that he is particularly fascinated and inspired by the wildlife that surrounds him while working at BFREE.

This week, Mark continued to illustrate his passion for wildlife, working through the weekend to support BFREE’s bi-annual Hicatee Health Assessment. Last year he participated in an online Wildlife Veterinary course offered by Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic (BWRC), and now he put some of the skills he learned from Dr. Isabelle to the test.

The 2022 Hicatee Health Assessments’ purpose is to determine the sex ratio of the captive-born turtles as well as collect growth data and review the overall health of a subset of turtles. Additionally, ultrasounds were performed on adult female turtles.

Donning his Hicatee Hero t-shirt, Mark fit right in with Team Hicatee and was an invaluable addition to the team. In addition to shadowing the veterinarians performing necropsies and endoscopies, Mark has helped with data collection, photographing the various activities, and supporting all of the other important aspects of the health assessment.

**Mark on the bottom left along with Team Hicatee on Day One of the Health Assessment in March 2022.**

Zoo New England Staff Use Morphometric Imagery to Determine Sex of Hicatee Turtles at BFREE

March 8, 2022/0 Comments/in Blog, Hicatee Turtles, Turtle Conservation /by Tyler Sanville

Bryan Windmiller and Emilie Wilder from Zoo New England join the BFREE Team to support the Bi-Annual Hicatee Health Assessment at the BFREE Biological Field Station in southern Belize. The March 2022 Health Assessments of the critically endangered Hicatee Turtle, Dermatemys mawii, focused on determining the sax ratios of the captive-bred Hicatee.

In this video, Emilie Wilder and Bryan Windmiller share how they are taking morphometric photos of each turtle to see if it is possible to use image analysis to determine if the turtle is male or female by the shape of its plastron.

A special thanks to both Emilie and Bryan for their invaluable help this week and to Zoo New England for their continued support of our Hicatee conservation program.