updated Apr 2023
The Harpy Eagle
If you are in Belize, be sure to tour the Belize Zoo. They have some great exhibits of animals of Central America. My favourite animal was the Harpy Eagle. This raptor is a magnificent bird of massive proportions. It is the largest and most powerful raptor in the Americas. They weigh six to nine kilos (13 to 20 lbs). They inhabit the upper canopy of tropical rainforests from Belize to Brazil.
This colossal predator does not eat mere mice or rabbits like other raptors. It dines on sloths and monkeys. They also occasionally eat other birds, such as the Scarlet Macaw as well as lizards and snakes. Sometimes, they attack much larger animals, such as Peccaries, Capybaras and even small deer. As these animals are sometimes too large even for the Harpy to fly away with, they might rip them to pieces before carrying parts of it to the nest. They have no problem flying with prey up to 7 kg (15 lbs), which could equal their body weight. Their prey mainly weighs between one and four kilos (2.2 to 8.8 lbs). The Harpy has the most massive talons of any eagle.
The Harpy Eagle is rare throughout its range. Destruction of its natural habitat has caused it to disappear from many areas. Therefore, it is classified as “Near Threatened”.
It is one of my dreams to see the Harpy Eagle in the wild. I spent two days slogging around in the jungles of Belize, looking for Harpies and Scarlet Macaws. I found the macaws but not the eagles, unfortunately.
Our cabin at the zoo and baby croc seen from the porch
Sleep at the Zoo
One of the great things about the Belize Zoo is that you can sleep there and take a nocturnal tour. Have you ever visited a zoo and found half the animal cages appear empty because the critter is sleeping in his house? Many animals are nocturnal; you will never see them during the day. I rented a cabin for a couple of nights at the zoo. The cabins are across the highway from the exhibits on a lagoon in the jungle. You can see crocodiles, birds and other wildlife right from your cabin. Busses are available to take you there if you don’t have a car. It is about an hour’s drive from the cruise-ship terminal or the airport in Belize City. Cabins range from $52 to $82, and the nocturnal tour is $20 (prices are subject to change). Even without the nocturnal zoo tour, spending a couple of days in the jungle was well worth the money. The large cabin overlooking the pond is great. It has a screened-in porch; you can sit there and watch for crocodiles and other critters.
Above: Kinkajou
Below left: Paca
Below right: Tapir
You will be picked up after dark and taken for a night-time tour of the zoo. Animals that I saw at night that were MIA during the day included the Tapir, Paca and Kinkajou.
Jaguar Encounter
Another neat experience at the Belize Zoo is the close encounter with a jaguar. First, the big cat is removed from his enclosure; then, the people enter. In the centre of the jaguar compound is a cage about the size of a car. After the people enter the cage, the jaguar is released. So, there you are in a cage with the jaguar on the outside. The Jaguar is larger than a Cougar. It is the largest cat in the Americas, with an average length of 1.8 metres, not including the tail. You can feed him bits of meat. The openings are small enough for the cat to get his tongue inside, but you are safe as long as you don’t stick your fingers out. It is advisable to count your fingers before you leave to see if any are missing.
There are also encounters available with toucans, snakes and other animals.
Visit the Belize Zoo
I highly recommend visiting the Belize Zoo if you are ever in the country. It is a unique little zoo and well worth your time. There are no elephants or tigers. This zoo features only wildlife of Central America. Also, there are no captured animals. All the animals in the zoo are formerly injured animals or from the pet trade. By the way, the primary language in Belize is English, although Spanish is widely spoken.