WILDTRACKS and the struggle to rehabilitate and release injured or illegally held "pet" monkeys in Belize

FOR MANY YEARS, BELIZE HAS STRUGGLED TO ESTABLISH A PROGRAM FOR THE REHABILITATION AND RELEASE OF ILLEGALLY HELD PET MONKEYS. SINCE 2010, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION NAMED WILDTRACKS - LOCATED IN NORTHERN BELIZE - HAS BEEN ABLE TO TAKE IN ALL MONKEYS THAT ARE SURRENDERED OR CONFISCATED BY THE BELIZE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT, OR THAT ARE INJURED IN THE WILD. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF WILDTRACKS IS TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE THE ILLEGAL PET TRADE IN MONKEYS IN BELIZE, AND TO GIVE ALL RESCUED, SURRENDERED AND CONFISCATED MONKEYS THE BEST POSSIBLE CHANCE TO BE RETURNED TO THE WILD. DURING THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE WORK DONE BY THESE DEDICATED WILDLIFE CONSERVATIONIST. HERE IS THEIR STORY.

Northern Belize is a starkly beautiful land; dry most of the year, hot, rugged and unforgiving. Dotted by brackish lagoons, ringed by mangrove and blanketed by lowland forests, the ancient Maya Civilization somehow densely populated this region which today is mostly uninhabited.

Hidden at the end of a long dusty road, just outside the fishing village of Sarteneja, on the very northeastern tip of mainland Belize, lies what at first appears to be a homestead with vegetable gardens and penned enclosures. A closer look reveals something far more complex.

In this remote corner of Belize, Wildtracks - established in 1990 by British immigrants Paul and Zoe Walker - pursues its goals of working towards the sustainable future of Belize's natural resources through conservation, research, education and outreach programs. These conservation pioneers have also created two wildlife rehabilitation facilities; the Manatee and Primate Rehabilitation Centres.

This is simply an amazing production, fantastic photos, fantastic information. Read (and see) the rest of this by Tony Rath....