Belize Zoo Adventure: A Short Jaunt From The Cruise Port

The Belize Zoo is located about 30 miles from the cruise port, which is about a 45-minute drive. The zoo is in a tropical savanna and has over 150 animals from over 45 species native to Belize. The zoo is a great way to get an introduction to the animals of Belize and understand the importance of protecting their habitats.

The Belize Zoo is 29-31 miles from the cruise port

The zoo is a popular excursion for cruise passengers, with tours departing from the Tourism Village in Belize City (the dock area where cruise ship tender boats drop off their passengers). It is recommended to get off the ship early and catch a water taxi to the zoo, as it is quite a long way from the port. The tender operation typically takes around 20 minutes, and once you arrive, there are regular cabs and cruise ship transport available to take you to the zoo.

The zoo is also accessible by bus, with a roughly 45-minute ride from the port. The bus is air-conditioned, and the ride offers a scenic view of rural Belize. You can also drive to the zoo, but it is important to note that public transportation in Belize is not very good. If you do decide to drive, there are car rentals available within walking distance of the cruise terminal.

The Belize Zoo is a unique attraction that showcases the diverse wildlife of the country. It is well worth the trip for anyone interested in animals and nature.

It costs $65 per person to visit

The Belize Zoo is located roughly 30 miles from the cruise port, which is about a 45-minute drive. The zoo is home to over 150 native wildlife species and is the first nature destination in Belize that is accessible to visitors with physical disabilities.

The Belize Zoo is the oldest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility in Belize. The animals here are either rescued, confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, or transferred from other rehab and zoological facilities. The habitats designed for the animals reflect their natural settings, providing an immersive educational experience for visitors.

The zoo is open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm from Monday to Saturday, with the last admission at 4:00 pm. On Sundays, the zoo is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with the last admission at 3:30 pm.

The zoo is a great place to visit, especially if you are interested in seeing the wildlife of Belize up close. It is also a good option if you are looking for a guided tour of the city and want to learn about its history and culture.

It's home to over 150 animals

The Belize Zoo is home to over 150 animals, representing 43 native species. The zoo is a non-profit wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility, and the oldest of its kind in Belize. The animals are housed in habitats that reflect their natural settings, providing an immersive educational experience for visitors.

The zoo was founded in 1983 by Sharon Matola, who had been caring for a handful of wild animals that were used in a natural history documentary. When filming ended, she decided to start a zoo. Today, the zoo is recognised as a world-renowned wildlife education centre, with over 45,000 visitors annually.

The Belize Zoo is committed to the conservation of Belize's wildlife and habitats. All the zoo residents were once pets, donated, rescued, born at the zoo, or transferred from other rehab and zoological facilities. The zoo does not receive financial support from the Government of Belize and generates funding through admission fees, tours, donations, and adoption and membership programs.

The zoo is home to a variety of mammals, including Belize's national animal, the Baird's tapir, and five wildcat species: jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, and jaguarundi. Other mammals include white-tailed deer, red brocket deer, collared and white-lipped peccaries, Yucatan spider monkeys, black howler monkeys, Central American agoutis, lowland paca, gray foxes, neotropical otters, coatimundi, kinkajous, and tayras.

The zoo also features several species of parrots, owls, and raptors, as well as a wetland aviary. Birds at the zoo include scarlet macaws, red-lored and yellow-headed amazons, keel-billed toucans, jabiru, harpy eagles, king vultures, great black hawks, ornate hawk-eagles, barn owls, mottled owls, crested guans, and great curassows.

Reptiles at the zoo include American and Morelet's crocodiles, boa constrictors, fer-de-lance, and green and black spiny-tailed iguanas.

The Belize Zoo offers a unique opportunity to see and learn about the diverse wildlife of Belize, with all the animals native to the country, providing an educational and immersive experience for visitors.

It was established in 1983

The Belize Zoo is located around 29 to 48 miles from the cruise port, depending on the source. It usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get there.

The zoo was established in 1983 by Sharon Matola, who had been working as an assistant and animal caretaker for a film crew that came to Belize to create a documentary called "Selva Verde" (Spanish for Green Forest). When filming was completed, Matola was left with 17 animals, including an ocelot, a puma, a jaguar, and several exotic birds. Rather than releasing them into the wild or euthanising them, she decided to start a zoo, using the animals' enclosures as exhibits to generate funding for their care.

At the time, most Belizean children had never seen any of their native wildlife, and the zoo soon shifted its focus to educating residents and visitors about the country's native wildlife. After receiving local support and donations from both local and foreign donors, the zoo was relocated to its current 29-acre site in 1991.

Today, the zoo is home to more than 160 animals representing over 40 native species. It is the oldest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility in Belize and is the first and only nature destination in the country that is accessible to people with physical disabilities. The zoo's habitats are designed to reflect natural settings, providing an immersive educational experience for its visitors.

The Belize Zoo is actively engaged in conserving Belizean animals and releasing them back into the wild. They do not capture any animals from the wild, and all the animals in their care were acquired as orphans, injured animals, removed from the illegal pet trade, donated, or born at the zoo.

It takes 45 minutes to an hour to get there

The Belize Zoo is located 29.8 miles (48 km) from the cruise port, which takes between 45 minutes to an hour to get to. The zoo is situated on the Western Highway, at mile 29 1/2. It is easily accessible from the port, with regular cabs available outside the dock and various cruise ship transport options within the dock.

The journey to the zoo is an easy one, and you can expect to be back at the port with plenty of time to spare before your ship departs. The cruise terminal, known as Fort Street Tourism Village, is just a stone's throw away from the historic centre of Belize City. Here, you can explore a range of shops, restaurants, and tour operators. However, if you wish to venture beyond the tourist village, it is recommended to stick to the busiest sections of downtown and obvious tourist districts for your safety.

The zoo itself is a great attraction, housing over 150 animals indigenous to Belize, including the national animal, April the Tapir, and the elusive jaguar. The animals are kept in large vegetated enclosures of netting and wood, rather than traditional cages or concrete bunkers. This provides a more natural and immersive experience for visitors.

A visit to the Belize Zoo is a fantastic opportunity to get up close and personal with the diverse wildlife of Belize. With a distance of just under 30 miles from the cruise port, it is a convenient and exciting excursion that can be comfortably completed within 45 minutes to an hour, making it a popular choice for cruise passengers.

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