field station Archives - Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education

Reptiles through the eyes of a newbie: Wanna Be Herpetologist

September 10, 2024/0 Comments/in Blog, Conservation, Education, field station, Protected Areas /by Heston Castillo

Reptiles at BFREE

At BFREE, a diverse range of reptiles thrive within its boundaries. I’ve been fortunate to encounter several species firsthand, from the slow-moving yet captivating turtles to the agile and vibrant lizards. My recent encounters with snakes have deepened my interest in these often misunderstood creatures, revealing the unique roles they play in this ecosystem. Each experience has broadened my appreciation for the rich biodiversity that BFREE safeguards and the importance of conservation efforts to protect these remarkable reptiles.

Drone image of the BFREE Field Station and Privately Protected Area

How I got interested

To be frank, I never had an interest in reptiles during my early days at BFREE. Instead, I was more captivated by the diverse trees within the tropical forest and the agroforestry aspects of cacao cultivation here. However, this changed in early July 2024, when a young and enthusiastic naturalist, and in my opinion, an amazing individual, Parker Gibbons, visited the BFREE headquarters.

I had the incredible opportunity to accompany him in catching and photographing some of the critters found at BFREE, particularly snakes. We encountered many beautiful specimens, but it was a Boa constrictor that truly sparked my fascination. Watching Parker handle the snake with
ease and enthusiasm, completely unafraid, inspired me to pursue the same path. Since then, I can often be found at BFREE, searching for snakes and other reptiles. I’ve even dedicated much of my time in the library, studying snakes and keeping track of the venomous ones to ensure I know which to avoid.

Parker Gibbons, Heston Castillo and Samih Young with a Boa constrictor

Respect these creatures!

While the excitement of encountering and handling snakes can be tempting, it’s important to remember that handling these creatures should only be done by those who are trained and knowledgeable. Mishandling snakes can cause them stress or injury, and in some cases, put you at risk. For those who aren’t experienced, it’s best to admire these fascinating reptiles from a distance. Instead of picking them up, consider capturing their beauty through photos or videos, and always respect their space.

Remember, snakes are an essential part of the ecosystem, and they deserve to be observed, not harassed!

List and images of the snakes I’ve encountered:

This newfound passion has led me to moments of personal pride as I’ve successfully found and handled snakes on my own, using a handmade tool. Some of the species I’ve encountered include:

Speckled Racer (Drymobius margaritiferus)
The Speckled Racer is a non-venomous snake known for its vibrant coloration, featuring black scales with white or yellow spots that give it a speckled appearance.

Cat-eyed Snake (Leptodeira annulata) The Cat-eyed Snake is a nocturnal snake. relatively small and has a brown color with black markings around its body.

Coffee Snake (Ninia sebae)
The Coffee Snake is a small, non-venomous species with a dark brown or coffee-colored body. This snake is often found in leaf litter and moist environments around BFREE.

Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor)
A well-known large snake, the Boa Constrictor is a non-venomous snake that uses powerful muscles to suffocate prey, wrapping around them and later consuming them.

Brown Vine Snake (Oxybelis Aeneus)
The brown vine snake is a slender, non-venomous snake. It has a brown, elongated body and uses its unique tail to navigate through shrubs and trees.

Welcome Dr. Rob Klinger, BFREE Conservation and Science Director

April 19, 2024/1 Comment/in Blog, Conservation, field station, Research /by BFREE Contact

When Heather asked me to write something describing how I got back to BFREE, I had an internal reaction that was akin to someone asking me to have a root canal. Whether it’s rational or not, I really dislike autobiographical stuff. Making myself do something even as mundane as updating a CV is a major struggle, let alone writing a few paragraphs about “me”. I could just dutifully recite my twisting and not so traditional scholastic and professional trail: BS in Wildlife Biology from Humboldt State University (underplaying the fact it took me six years or so to complete because that time was interspersed with stints as a biological technician and fire crew member with the US Forest Service, as a deckhand on a tuna boat, as a bricklayer, and a year off to be a wandering hippy vagabond, happily traveling all over the states, Canada, and Mexico); field grunt on the statewide mountain lion survey that California attempted many years ago; ski bum and bartender (simultaneously); MS in biology from San Jose State University, where I worked on the interplay between fire, deer, and mountain lions (dream come true); a few years as an endangered species biologist and statistician for an environmental consulting firm (great practical education in bio-politics); a couple of years as the field coordinator for a project looking at the effects of off-highway vehicles on plant and animal communities in the Mojave Desert; nine years as The Nature Conservancy’s ecologist on Santa Cruz Island off the California coast; a Ph.D. in Ecology & Evolution from UC Davis, where I wandered into this incredible place called the Bladen Nature Reserve and got involved with this crazy little conservation NGO called the Belize Foundation for Research & Environmental Education; and (finally), for the last 17 years an ecologist and statistician (yeah, I’m a numbers guy) with the US Geological Survey. In and amongst all that were things like being a fire ecologist for a few years with the US Forest Service, being a member of a couple of bio-inventories in New Guinea, working with the Charles Darwin Station on the Galapagos Islands for six months, and being on the board of BFREE for well over a decade, including a stretch as the president. But absolutely none of that dutiful recitation really gets at HOW I got back to BFREE. The “how” comes down to two things: bear tracks in the snow and baseball.

Jaren Serano assisted Rob in the field during his fellowship program in 2018.

Bear Tracks and Baseball

The bear tracks in the snow happened when I was young. My parents and my uncle and aunt had cabins in the San Bernardino mountains, about 100 miles east of Los Angeles. One spring we were hiking a snowy trail when my uncle (who was a consummate outdoorsman), pulled up short, pointed something on the ground out to my dad, shot my mom and aunt a glance, and started taking us in another direction. I asked my dad why my uncle had altered our course, and he said, “There were fresh bear tracks going down our trail”. Now, if you are expecting me to say I wanted to go back and find the bear you are going to be disappointed; I was scared out of my wits and wanted to go home. But, after the fact, it sparked excitement and curiosity in me about the natural world. In no time I was learning to identify mammals, birds, reptiles, plants, and animal tracks, as well as fish, hunt, and camp on my own. So, by the time I was a teenager I knew what I wanted to be: a baseball player or a biologist. Yes…baseball. I was, and remain, a big baseball fan and was a decent, though not spectacular, player as a kid. I was good enough to get invited to play in what at the time were known as “Rookie Leagues”. These were winter leagues the major league clubs set up as a low investment way to find kids who might be the proverbial diamonds in the rough. One day, after a particularly good game late in the season, I was told a scout wanted to talk to me (if I remember correctly, he was with the St. Louis Cardinals). He was a very tall, lanky older guy with white hair and a smoldering cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He came up and shook my hand and said “Klinger, sit down. I have had my eye on you and think it’s time to talk. Son, you are one of the best fielders I have ever seen. You could probably walk out on the field with any major league club and be one of the best defenders in the game. But you will never hit above .270 or .280 in AA ball.” Of course I was disappointed, but I knew he was right and that I had just received some very sage advice. I finished the season, then “hung ’em up” (meaning my cleats, as the saying goes).

Back to BFREE

From that point on, despite the winding path I dutifully recited above, I never lost sight of what I wanted or where my passion was. But how I actually got on that path was because of those bear tracks and grizzled old baseball scout. I have pursued my passion for biology with no regrets whatsoever and consider myself one of the most fortunate people on the face of the planet. And now, the thing that excites me most about being back at BFREE is getting to finally go all in working with Jake and Heather, as well as old friends like Sipriano Canti and Thomas Pop. We’ve known for years how well we work together and how much we enjoyed it, but it was always in fits and starts depending on how long I could stick around before I had to go back to my day job. Well, this is my day job now, and I could not be more happy or excited. My girlfriend Elaine is holding down our house in Bishop, California when I am at BFREE (or, more truthfully, she is at the beck and call of our eccentric cat). Elaine said, “You can tell BFREE they can have you, as long as I get a regular supply of chocolate in exchange.” That sounds like a fair trade to me, so I hope BFREE, and all of you, are prepared to have me for a good long time!

Introducing Samih Young – BFREE Wildlife Education Fellow

April 16, 2024/0 Comments/in Blog, Central American River Turtle, Education, Fellows, field station, Student, Turtle Conservation /by Heather Barrett

By Samih Young and Heather Barrett

This month, Samih Young joined the team and is taking on a brand new role within the BFREE Science and Education Fellowship Program. She joins as the Wildlife Education Fellow and will be collaborating on outreach programming and communications while also supporting work taking place at the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center. She’ll be an important contributor to Hicatee Awareness Month as well as other educational programming taking place this year. Samih is currently completing the last semester in her associate’s degree at University of Belize and is an active member of the university’s Environmental Club.

Samih is jumping right in to work with BFREE. Currently, she is helping to organize an Earth Day event at University of Belize with Jaren Serano, Dermatemys Program Coordinator and Heather Barrett, Deputy Director. On April 25, the team will lead a workshop for students in the Environmental Club called, “Empowering Student Advocates: Turning Ideas into Conservation Action.”

Jacob Marlin teaches Samih and other guests about snakes in Belize

In her own words

Hi there! My name is Samih Young and I’m originally from Belize City, I spent my formative years soaking up the wonders of nature on the cayes, which ignited my passion for the environment. As a little girl, I dreamt of becoming a marine biologist, but my journey took a slight detour when I pursued my associate’s degree in Natural Resource Management. However, this decision opened my eyes to the beauty of terrestrial conservation, and I knew I had found my calling.

As someone deeply rooted in Belizean landscapes, I carry a profound appreciation for our country’s rich biodiversity and natural heritage. My upbringing in the coastal regions instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility towards protecting our environment for future generations. This connection to Belize’s ecosystems fuels my dedication to conservation efforts, and I am eager to channel this passion into meaningful action at BFREE.

Nature has always been my sanctuary, evoking a sense of belonging unlike anything else – well, except for music, which holds a special place in my heart. My recent experience assisting the team at BFREE with the annual Hicatee Health Assessment was truly inspiring. Surrounded by individuals from diverse backgrounds, we shared a common mission: ensuring the well-being of the remarkable hicatee. Witnessing such dedication reaffirmed my commitment to conservation. It was not only the hicatee turtles that made me fall in love with the place but the level of biodiversity the reserve has. My first morning at the reserve I was awakened by the calls of howler monkeys, a symphony of nature that stirred my soul. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I savored every moment, eagerly anticipating the dawn of the next day amidst such natural splendor.

Growing up in the city, I often felt like an outlier in my passion for the environment. But witnessing the global effort to safeguard the hicatee at BFREE filled me with hope and determination. I know BFREE is the right place for me because being there made me fall in love with a species that I was only seeing for the first time. I’m enthusiastic about potentially making a long lasting positive change and I am thrilled at the prospect of learning from and collaborating with this dynamic team at BFREE.

The February 2024 Hicatee Health Assessment brought together partners from Wildlife Conservation Society, Turtle Survival Alliance, Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic and Savannah Field Station to assess the health of the captive turtles at the HCRC.

Special Thanks

The BFREE Science and Education Fellowship Program exists thanks to the support of partners and individuals who believe in the importance of providing work-training opportunities to young professionals aspiring to have a career in conservation. Thanks in particular to Zoo New England for providing funding for this new and critical position.

Pictures provided by Jaren Serano, Abraham Alvarez, and Heather Barrett.

On the horizon – a new multi-purpose building at BFREE

October 30, 2023/1 Comment/in Blog, field station, Non-profit /by Jacob Marlin

Imagine sitting comfortably in a hammock overlooking the BFREE garden while enjoying a freshly brewed cup of heirloom hot chocolate. The cacao was grown onsite in the cacao agroforestry farms. You are on the second story screened-in porch of a new building at BFREE – the Commons.

Situated in the exact location as the old kitchen and dining room, the Commons is one of the many changes coming to BFREE. All have been inspired by the need for better services and spaces for the many types of visitors that come whether scientist, student, intern, professor, or adventure tourists, as well as the many staff who call the field station “home” most of the year.

Below find some pictures of the old kitchen as it was deconstructed in June 2023. The building has hosted countless staff and visitors since it was first built in 1997.

Saying Goodbye to the Old Kitchen and Dining Room

A team of workers carefully removed all of the bay leaves from the roof of the old kitchen before dismantling the remainder of the structure. They salvaged as much as possible for use on other projects. They were able to take the kitchen completely down to the concrete slab.

Construction on the Commons began in June of 2023, and the hope is that it will be completed by July 2024. The building will include: a large dining area with capacity for over 40 people, a staff dining room, a large kitchen, the main office, an internet room for visitors, a walk-in pantry, two screened porches, a lounge area, a gift shop, and a chocolate café. The two-story building will be nearly 7000 square feet including a third story small observation deck. The birding and wildlife viewing from the deck should be spectacular! So will the food – thanks to the new and improved kitchen equipment along and food storage facilities as well as improvements to our garden and orchards for even fresher ingredients from farm to table.

Many of the materials for the Commons have been harvested from the property, which will give this multipurpose building authenticity and a BFREE jungle feel that visitors have come to expect, while providing improved comforts and conveniences.

Why are we making these changes now?

Living and working in the rainforest at BFREE is both physically demanding and mentally challenging. We recognize the need to improve the experience that the many types of users have while visiting the field station, as well as for the many hard-working dedicated staff that call BFREE their home away from home.

Additional funds for the Commons are still needed – primarily for the expansion of our existing solar system to power this building and other facilities at the field station.