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Posted By: collyk Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/17/06 01:01 AM
Hi,

I've read a lot about the Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve on the net, but I haven't seen much about personal experiences. I am moving to Ambergris Caye in May and am very interested in wildlife and conservation. I would love to hear from people who have spent time exploring the wildlife reserve or who are involved in conservation work there. I'd like to know how to get there - is boat the only realistic option? I'd like to know what sort of wildlife people have really observed and encountered there. I would like to know if any conservation research projects are currently active there and as an aside, I'd be grateful for any information about archaeological work that is being done in the area.

Myself and my partner will have time to explore and participate and would like to know more. I hope someone here is willing and able to help with advice and suggestions.

Sarcastic comments, insults, not very light hearted banter and boring digression are also welcome as it seems par for the course with this board and I have a sense of humour.

Many thanks,

Colly

ps. condolences to those affected by the sky diving accident.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/17/06 01:12 AM
way to go there Collyk!
and congrats on the upcoming move - how excited you must be!!!!!
Posted By: collyk Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/17/06 01:47 AM
Thank you lawlucci. It is very exciting and scary and wonderful.
Posted By: casa de amor Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/17/06 02:54 AM
collyk: just my 2 cents, i wouldn't go exploriing on my own deep into the jungle on the north end.
Posted By: collyk Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/17/06 08:43 AM
casa de amor..could you elaborate please? I'd be grateful for further info. If it's not appropriate to put on the board, please feel free to message me.
Posted By: casa de amor Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/17/06 01:12 PM
okay i will pm you
Posted By: collyk Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/17/06 04:39 PM
I look forward to hearing from you casa de amor. Thanks.
Posted By: Marty Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/18/06 07:22 AM
just bring lotsa bug repellent. boat the best. wandered the area with the late archaeologist and general good friend Herman Smith.

//ambergriscaye.com/museum/digit.html

we would walk around, looking for dark areas of dirt. that meant it was an old civilized area. humans done been there. then we would dig in the dark dirt and find obsidian shards, pottery pieces, all kinds of lil artifacts.

huge termite nests. quite an interesting area i think.
Posted By: collyk Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/18/06 08:41 AM
Wow. Sounds fab Marty. Can't wait to get up there and have a little explore. Thanks.
Posted By: Marty Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/18/06 10:10 AM
here's a few pics and a lil more info

//ambergriscaye.com/pages/mayan/earlyhistory.html
Posted By: collyk Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/18/06 12:52 PM
Thanks so much Marty. My other half is the amateur archaeologist but funnily enough we get the San Pedro Sun delivered to us in London and read Dig It with interest every week. My partner went on a little excavation near the sewage plant (well you have to look everywhere don't you) and found a number of pottery shards. I have photographs if you are interested. Some were quite interesting. We left them with some people at the hotel who promised to drop them by the museum for us. I have no idea if they ever made it. I am more interested in the wildlife. I haven't found much on exactly what the wildlife population is like up there. Thanks so much for taking the time to give me more information. Do you know if there are any more active archaeologists on the island now?
Posted By: GailM Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/18/06 01:40 PM
Hi Colette,
My good friend (and mentor years ago) Richie Woods lives in San Pedro and he did a field guide on the wildlife, archaeology, shipwrecks, etc on Ambergris. It still serves as a pretty good referenc. I will try and find the link to it if it still exists on the web.
Also, as part of the process of establishing Bacalar Chico as a marine reserve, a biological survey was done of the terrestrial habitats and there is a report on that too. I think it was done by Simon Zisman and Coral Cay Conservation (they home office is in London) and you may be able to get a copy there. I may have a copy, but it would be in Belize.
Posted By: GailM Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/18/06 01:44 PM
Should have known, Marty has a link to it...
//www.ambergriscaye.com/fieldguide/
Posted By: Marty Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/18/06 07:33 PM
i'd get richie on this for sure. i haven't see a ton of wildlife up there. lots of birds, crocs
Posted By: Marty Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/18/06 07:35 PM
the coral cay conservation email is [email protected] i'm gonna try to get a copy of that book....
Posted By: Marty Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/18/06 07:57 PM
there is a lot of info on bacalar chico fish and coral here:

Fish and coral species lists for Belize
//Ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/art/belize_2000_taxon.pdf

there a lot of info for all of Belize, but there is a separate column for bacalar chico
Posted By: collyk Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/19/06 01:07 PM
You guys are fantastic. All of that information is great stuff. I am away this weekend but will have a good look at it when I get back on Monday. Looks like we have plenty to explore though!
Posted By: collyk Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/20/06 05:00 PM
Hi,

I am back from a great weekend (thanks to my hosts for bagging a delicious roe deer for Sunday lunch - yumm). Anyway, I am looking through that field guide and thanks for the heads up on that one Gail (you are full of great information). It seems more of a general field guide to Belize as opposed to AC as I don't think there are Howler Monkies on AC or Fer de Lance. Do correct me if I am wrong though. Nevertheless it is a bloody brilliant site. I might print it up and take it to bed for a good read.

Is there anything about Fauna more specific to AC? Is Richie someone who welcomes enquiries? Would we be able to approach him for advice? Are you aware of any current research being done up there...I'd be quite happy counting turtle eggs or croc footprints or whatnot.

ps. Can't get that pdf link to work for some reason.
Posted By: klcman Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/20/06 05:46 PM
Collyk -

try installing an updatede version of Acrobat Reader, that might fix the problem.
Posted By: collyk Re: Bacalar Chico Wildlife Reserve - 02/20/06 06:03 PM
Will do. Thanks klcman. Computers are not my strong point.
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