After attending an incredibly interesting talk on Crocodiles earlier this week, I had the pleasure of spending some time with the team from Amercan Crocodile Endangered Sanctuary (ACES) and the Belize Wildlife Officer.

They are doing a tremendous job and are currently trying to relocate one of the local crocs, that has become a nuisance, to their sanctuary in Punta Gorda.

I just wanted to alert everyone to the good work that these people do. The Wildlife Officer is all on his own in his department, covering the entire country, trying to enforce the extensive wildlife protection laws. He is an inspiring and enthusiastic man and I know from reports from the mainland that he is making a difference.

ACES are a non profit who are trying to save one of Belize's most incredible native animals, the American Crocodile, from extinction though research, education, rescue and rehabilitation work. The work that they have recently done on San Pedro, for the benefit of our community, they have done at their expense and they promise to come back and do some more.

I hope people will support their tremendous work, which is going to be more and more important as development further infringes upon the crocodiles' natural habitat.

I urge you to check out their website and support them if you can. http://www.freewebs.com/ppinpg/

I've learned so much from them. I didn't know that the American Crocodile has the most powerful immune system in the world and that scientists think they may hold the cure for HIV/AIDS. I didn't know that the reef will die if the American Crocodile is wiped out on this island. They may not be pretty and they may not be cute, but they are at the top of the food chain here and without them, the whole ecosystem will collapse.

i stopped by to see what was going on (thanks for the tip off collyk!). There is so much to learn, so much to gain, and so much to lose without that education.

with all the hoopla about the ambergris today thread, which has obviously generated a LOT of discussion....its nice to see that something, in the true manner of coming to the table with solutions instead of more complaints and problems, was being done to help save our reef, our island, our pets, and our friends.

The AT article had nothing to do with the Belize Forest Service and ACES presence here last week. They have been planning for months to come over and remove a nuisance croc and provide some much needed community education as well. The timing was only coincidence.