Belize Tourism Industry

Tourism is fast becoming the leading economic engine of the country. [4] In a recent speech to the Belize tourism industry, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said:

"The World Travel and Tourism Council has reported that the tourism industry is responsible for 297 million jobs worldwide. It contributes over 8 trillion dollars to the global GDP. In Belize, over 25% of all jobs is tourism-driven or tourism-related, with the industry directly responsible for over 18% of our GDP. According to the Central Bank, tourism last year accounted for 590 million dollars in revenue. This figure was up 90 million over the previous year, despite the effects of Hurricanes Dean and Felix on the industry generally and the cruise sector in particular. And tourism is now, and has been for some time, our number one foreign exchange earner. In other words, ladies and gentlemen, tourism is for Belize very serious business indeed."

Key Note Belize City - 15 May, 2008 - Biltmore Plaza Hotel - Address by Prime Minister, Hon. Dean Barrow to the 10th Annual Industry Presentation.

Placencia Road Contract Signed

Official News Release from The Government of Belize.

Ministry of Works
Signing Ceremony for Placencia Road Project

Belmopan - 11 July, 2008
Official signing ceremonies were held today at the Inn at Robert’s Grove for the upgrading of the Placencia Road between the Government of Belize and Cisco Construction Limited. Upgrading will be done to approximately twenty (20) miles of road between mile 21 on the Southern Highway Junction and the community of Placencia passing thru Maya Beach, Riversdale, Seine Bight and ending at the Placencia Airstrip.

Present at today’s signing was the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. Dean Barrow. He expressed that he was proud to be a part of history that will realize a project that was initially introduced by the UDP Government in 1998. He thanked the contractor and anticipates that the completion of the project will bring more tourism development in Placencia. Other guest also included the Minister of Works, Hon. Anthony “Boot” Martinez, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Manuel Heredia and Minister of Transport and Area Representative for Stann Creek West, Hon. Melvin Hulse.

The Civil works will consist of the construction of an embankment, side drains, concrete drainage structures and a double lane bituminous running surface. Sidewalks will be provided through the urban areas of Maya Beach and Seine Bight as will pedestrian crossings, speed control devices and lay by facilities for Bus Stops. The contract also includes the construction of a new Multi-purpose facility that will replace the existing Seine Bight Community Center.

The Project is being funded in the amount of BZ$25,881,550.73 by the Caribbean Development Bank and the Government of Belize. Works have already commenced on the road project and should be completed within a twenty-six (26) months construction period.

Tikal, Xunantunich, Cahal Pech & El Pilar

http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/latinamerica/articles/2008/07/06/guatemala_treasures_maya_ruins_and_their_rich_history/

Belize's western Cayo District borders Guatemala and there are several Maya ruins in the general vicinity. The district is a 90-minute drive from Belize City International Airport.

What to do

Tikal National Park tikalpark.com This ruin of more than 3,000 buildings was home to an estimated 100,000 Mayans and is located in Guatemala, about 50 miles northwest of its border with western Belize's Cayo District. The drive from the town of San Ignacio in that district is almost entirely on dirt roads and takes about two hours. The Lodge at Chaa Creek offers a full-day guided tour for 1-4 people at $275 per person, which includes transportation, lunch, and visa/entry fees.

Xunantunich Reached by a hand-cranked ferry ride across the Mopan River, this important ceremonial center features "El Castillo," a monument that is among the tallest buildings in Belize, and an exceptional stucco carving of Maya deities. The ferry is located on the Western Highway in the village of San Jose Succotz in the Cayo District. Chaa Creek offers this tour for $100 per person.

Cahal Pech This site is located in the Cayo District on a hill overlooking San Ignacio. Its center is made up of 34 structures, the tallest of which is 77 feet high. Dating to 1200 B.C., it is one of the earliest Maya settlements in the Maya lowlands.

El Pilar Archaeological Reserve for Maya Flora and Fauna Located north of Bullet Tree Falls in the Cayo District, and about 10 miles from San Ignacio, this site affords incredible views of the Belize River Valley. El Pilar is 32 miles from Tikal. Chaa Creek's tour is $135 per person.

Placencia Airstrip Caution Sign

As I pass by the Airstrip almost daily to go to the Village, I barely even notice this sign... but the tourists just love it. I bet it is the most photographed sign on the entire Peninsula.

What is for certain is the need to pay attention to the warning... sometimes the planes are fully loaded and need every bit of that airstrip that we drive around the end of so casually !

Placencia Peninsula Road

All of us are hoping that getting rid of the pot hole riddled stretch of pavement through Seine Bight Village is just the beginning of things to come for the Peninsula! Here are some pictures and a short video as equipment worked in front of The Maine Stay. It's the "little things" in Belize that matter.

The paving of the Peninsula Road has been on the Belize government's "to do" list of promises for years. It has finally been funded and work is expected to start "soon." We are all just waiting for the that magic appearance of the real equipment and the job to begin!

Without doubt, the paving of the road will transform the Peninsula... for good and probably a little not so good. Placement of "speed bumps" will certainly be a crucial element in keeping traffic under some semblance of control.

Belize - Make Time for the Adventure of your Life

Here is a 3 minute trailer of the new Belize Tourist Board's promotional video for the tourism industry in Belize. This clip by Naturalight Productions is one of the best we've seen on Belize. Show it to your friends. Click on the title above or this link to play.

Jaguar story

On the Trail of the Jaguar in Central Belize

Tue, June 24, 2008

In the 1980’s, American zoologist Alan Rabinowitz led the crusade to establish the world’s first jaguar reserve in Belize’s Cockscomb Basin. The rest, as they say is history. Belize has gone on to great international fame as a conservation trailblazer and our protected jaguar population in Belize has become a thing of genuine wonderment and not a few touristic marketing manoeuvres.

And while tourism and conservation have exploded, in the 20 years since the Cockscomb Reserve was established, no Belizean has stepped forward to take up the mantle and local jaguar research has been dominated by foreigners. And that’s where the subject of our next story comes in. He is Omar Figueroa, a Cayo boy and Belize’s first jaguar man, or to put it more properly, first full-time jaguar researcher. And Figueroa’s not only picking up where Rabinowitz left off, he’s literally re-mapping what is known about jaguars in Belize.

Jules Vasquez visited with him at the Runaway Creek Nature Preserve off the Coastal Road.

Jules Vasquez Reporting,

This is the Runaway Creek Nature Reserve. In the early light it seems picturesque as the morning sun shimmers and dances on a wet weather pond. But don’t let that idyllic setting fool you, this place can be hell! First there’s the nearly impassable roads...and while those are difficult, the bush is far worse.

This may look like a casual jungle hike led by Reserve Manager Reynold Cal with jaguar experts Omar Figueroa and Bart Harmsen and Pecarry Hills guide Gilford Hoare. But after the floods, it feels like a descent into hell: it’s a trek through the most mosquito infested area I’ve ever encountered. And if you don’t see a cloud of them hovering behind Figueroa’s backpack you can see them here, when he stops. But what to do? Just shake them off and walk on – on the trail of the jaguar.

Omar Figueroa, Jaguar Researcher

“We’re trapping jaguars and pumas and deploying GPS collars with a pre-determined program of positioning fixes.”

Figueroa knows that the cats are frequent visitors to this cave and they have been captured on specialised unmanned photosensitive cameras that were placed in the cave and all along this route to make sure they are looking in the right place. And the cave is one of those places where the big cats bring prey to eat, away from the mosquitoes and the heat. Cat scat as it’s called shows that they’ve been through here fairly recently. These shards of pottery indicate that the cave was also used plentifully by the Mayas along with jaguars. One of them crushed this turtle and this armadillo.

Omar Figueroa,

“They usually attack by grabbing an animal by the back of the neck. They bite and then they break their skulls here at the back.”

But after a brief stop in the cave, it’s more trekking, deeper into the jungle where after an hour we do find a spider monkey who looks like he’s having his own mosquito issues but no jaguar as the trap we’ve come to check is unsprung.

Reynold Cal,

“So it is negative for today but tomorrow’s another day.”

He’s re-covering the neatly concealed trap – so that the jaguar doesn’t see it. This is the first time this type of leg hold trap has been used in Central America.

Omar Figueroa,

“It’s a leg hold trap, a specialized leg hold trap that essentially tightens a noose around the jaguar’s leg. It comes equipped with a shock absorber so that when the jaguar jerks on it, the joints are not injured and it also has swivels so there is no twisting on the leg. So it is by far the safest method to trap these large carnivores.”

And to demonstrate how safe, Figueroa tested it himself – showing that it caused no trauma to his hand. But apart from being harmless and almost undetectable on the jungle floor, the trap’s most important feature is that it is fitted with a radio transmitter, which tells the trapper when something’s been caught. When it is activated this pin is released and it sends a signal to trappers out in the field who use this portable antenna to track the radio signal. One beep every three seconds like this.

[Beeping…this is 07 and then that one is not triggered and then 08..beeping…one pulse every three seconds.]

Means nothing has been captured; if it beeped three times a second that would have meant something was caught. Nothing on this day but weeks earlier the beeps came in a flurry, and this snarling jaguar was waiting for them.

[Footage of Wild Jaguar]

Coming in direct physical contact with a wild jaguar is a rare and exhilarating moment that very few have had.

Omar Figueroa,

“You have to understand that we’re dealing here with the largest cat in the Americas and, if you really look at it real closely, we’re looking at the cat that has the strongest bite, pound for pound in terms of pressure per square inch; the strongest bite of any of the large cats all over this planet.”

Bart Harmsen has been working with jaguar research in the Cocksomb for five years but he’s never been this close.

Bart Harmsen,

“Suddenly you can touch your study animal and for me that was one of the most thrilling moments in the world in a lot of ways. Before that it’s been four years of seeing sometimes maybe a glimpse of them or seeing them sometimes walking on the trail and suddenly you have this powerful cat right in front of you and it is a magical feeling. I feel like a privileged person now that I can do that.

I actually thought that they would be really angry at you but they just try to get away from you. I mean they’re snarling at you, they are definitely snarling but you can see that they are just trying to shy away from. You got this big powerful cat that you know has the power to kill you but they’re not doing that. They are looking at you and they’re trying to just get away. They know that if driven to it, they will charge at you but first they are just trying to get away. And that surprises me, the shyness in these powerful animals.”

Reynold Cal, Reserve Manager

“The jaguar is a very feared animal and the Mayans, my ancestors, revered it very much and to actually get close to it, it is very exhilarating.”

Gilford Hoare,

“It is the quite experience for me because I had never gotten so close to a jaguar alive. I usually see them when they are dead and that is the only time I went so close to one that was alive so it was kind of scaring to me.”

Omar Figueroa,

“So it is intimidating and you have to be very careful. When I encounter a cat in a trap, I really don’t have time to think about a lot of things. I get focused and I just have to make sure I drug that cat as quickly as possible because the jaguar is coming at you. The difference between a jaguar and a puma in a trap is the puma is running away from you and the jaguar is coming at you. So you have to move fast and there is no room for error.”

This is what he moves with, a carbon powered tranquilizer gun, seen here under the tutelage of world re-knowned trapping expert Barren Simpson. Here, this puma gathers a defensive stance but is hit before he knows what caught him and shortly after he’s falling asleep. Once asleep, he’s fitted with this collar. At US$4,000 each, it’s designed to be lightweight but efficient; it has a VHF transmitter, a UHF transmitter and a GPS transmitter.

Omar Figueroa,

“These collars weigh about 300 to 400 grams. It is very light compared to the weight of these top predators. They come equipped with UHF beacon and a VHF beacon. In addition they have a GPS. So when the cat is running around, the GPS is working. It is getting fixes and it stores it on board.”

And that’s where this computer comes in, Figueroa tracks them with the VHF signal – and then hones into the collar with a UHF download.

Omar Figueroa,

“After I have identified where these cats are, I hook up with my computer and I establish a connection with the UHF beacon and it is through that connection that I download all the GPS points and I can download two to three hundred points per second when I have a good connection.”

And beyond the exhilaration of capture and the adventure of the trek, that’s the real purpose of this study. To find out where the cats are, where they roam and how they co-exist.

Omar Figueroa,

“If you look Belize, the entire country, you have two huge conservation blocks. But in the central portion of Belize there is no connectivity, there is no corridors.”

Bart Harmsen,

“We need to know how these cats are moving around in this landscape and with this kind of knowledge, knowing how these cats are moving around, the Belize government will be able to shape policy of how they have to deal with these jaguars.”

And as what are called apex predators, jaguars are critical to understanding the state of play of the surrounding environment.

Omar Figueroa,

“The main reason behind using these cats is that as the apex predator they play a critical role in maintaining the structure and function of ecosystems. So when you devise a conservation policy, a natural resource policy, focused on these cats, you simultaneously protect a host of sympatric species. When you focus and you develop conservation policy, natural resource policy around this jaguar you are essentially protecting a host of other specie, flora and fauna biodiversity in general.

Then we will better be able to start to gain some educated guesses as to how many jaguars we have in this country and really where the critical areas are that we need to protect for these cats. You could protect 50% of this country but you could be protecting, half of that you don’t really need to protect. It could be an erroneous plan.”

And while tracking will fine tune plans, it will also tell us about this fascinating predator.

Omar Figueroa,

“All the large cats Jules, across this planet, have really inspired their fair share of legends of superstitions but only the jaguar has really dominated the culture and the religion of an entire continent. You could go back to as early as recorded history in South America and 5,000 year old jaguar sculptures have been unearthed from that era. You can go back 2000 years ago and there are 20 jaguar sculptures and even around us there are the Mayan times. So from a cultural perspective it is important. It is easy to reach out to people and project the jaguar as the conservation icon.”

And a large part of that iconography is the enduring mystery of these predators and their deadly stealth as they traverse the country’s interior. And hopefully, some of the allure of that mystery is preserved, even as these cats are studied and probed.

Figueroa’s research is for the completion of his doctorate at the University of Florida. The study area is concentrated in the contiguous Peccary Hills and Runaway Creek Reserves in central Belize. Combined they occupy an 18,000 acre swathe. So far 3 pumas and 3 jaguars have been collared.

His research is funded by award from the International Foundation for Science based in Sweden. The Panthera/Wildlife Conservation Society with local institutional assistance from PACT and BTB and privately from David Gegg and the Peccary Hills Initiative and Dr. Gil Boese, Foundation for Wildlife Conservation and the Runaway Creek Nature Reserve who have both donated collars and other assistance.

Shortly after our story, the mosquitoes got even worse and the team pulled up traps. Figueroa is presently in the USA acquiring more collars so that he can set up more traps to cover a greater area.

Southern Highway Land Bridge over the Sittee River in Kendall, Belize

A few days ago, I wrote about the Kendall Bridge over the Sittee River on the Southern Highway that had been washed away during the flooding in Belize caused by Tropical Storm Arthur. Today, we went to Belmopan and had the chance to try out the new temporary land bridge. I was suitably impressed with the size, and with the job that got done in just a few days. Large buses and 18 wheel crude oil laden tanker trucks are using this thing all day every day. My hats are off to the folks, both private and public, who made this happen. A few more pictures can be checked out on Flickr. Click on the title above.

Wallen's Market, Pharmacy & Hardware

Wallen's Market, Pharmacy & Hardware
Originally uploaded by traversbelize

Sooner or later, visitors to Placencia find their way to Wallen’s. There are other grocery stores and veggie/fruit stands, and there are definitely times when hitting more than one will be necessary to find what you need! For most things, though… Wallen’s has a good selection.

Flooding in Belize

Placencia Back to Normal...

Many of you have seen news reports of significant flooding in Belize caused by Tropical Storm Arthur. Torrential rains in the mountains in western Belize and Guatemala caused eastward flowing rivers to overflow their banks and create a great deal of misfortune for coastal Belize residents.

Also, a key bridge over the Sitee River along the Southern Highway was washed away. This effectively cut the country in half for about 10 days. The flow of essential supplies was greatly impeded, since most are brought in by truck.

Although it took several days for the water to recede enough to begin getting a temporary crossing in place... the job has been done and supply and other vehicles are crossing routinely. Work will begin now on a new and better replacement bridge. Yay! Fresh fruits and veggies again! And the Placencia Lobsterfest is the weekend of June 27, 28 & 29!!

Aroundtheglobe08: Sailing from Caye Caulker to Placencia, Belize

Here's another way to see the Cayes of Belize and end up at The Maine Stay in Placencia!

Aroundtheglobe08: Sailing from Caye Caulker to Placencia, Belize

Belize "Grand Slam" Fishing

Fishing enthusiasts will appreciate the importance of this report. It has amazed us how many of our guests have real success in their dream of making the "Grand Slam" of flats fishing. The photo shows the 50 lb tarpon our neighbor caught in the lagoon last week.

Prepared by: Anthony J. Fedler, Ph.D.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Belize is renowned throughout the sport fishing world for its exceptional opportunities to fish for bonefish, permit and tarpon. Belize is, in fact, one of the few places in the world offering fishermen a chance for the “Grand Slam” of flats fishing – a bonefish, permit and tarpon all caught in a single day. One popular magazine recently noted that three of the World’s top ten permit fishing destinations are located in Belize and this world-class fishing draws fishermen from all corners of the world.

Belize delivers what sport fishermen (and women) are looking for – unspoiled shallow-water flats, rivers and lagoons with the opportunity to fish for these prized species. These outstanding fisheries resources, coupled with top-quality fishing guides, fishing lodges and hotels makes Belize a primary destination for international fisherman.

Sport fishing for bonefish, permit and tarpon makes a significant contribution to Belize’s economy.

• Tourists contribute nearly $400 million (BZ) annually to the Belizean economy and support more than 13,000 jobs which accounts for nearly 17% of the Belize GDP.

• Sport fishing for bonefish, permit and tarpon creates an annual economic impact of over $25 million (BZ) in direct expenditures in the Belizean economy plus an additional $31 million in Value Added expenditures for a total yearly economic impact of roughly $56 million. This amounts to approximately 6% of the Belize’s tourist economy.

• Sport fishing for these three species results in approximately $2.7 million in Hotel Tax, Property Tax, Business Tax, GST, Employee (income and social security) Taxes, and Airport Exit Taxes generated for the Belizean treasury.

• Nearly $30 million in annual wages and salaries as well as 1,800 full-time jobs are supported by these three species.

• In 2007, more than 100 independent fishing guides provide services to approximately 4,800 international fishing guests at hotels and resorts throughout Belize, and at least 13 fishing lodges hosted nearly 1,000 international anglers from Europe, Canada, the United States and elsewhere.

• Virtually all bonefish, permit and tarpon caught by sport fishermen in Belize are released back to the water alive making this annual economic contribution fully sustainable. Therefore, with adequate management, it is quite realistic to suggest that sport fishing for bonefish, permit and tarpon will generate an economic impact of roughly $600 million for Belize over the upcoming decade.

Italian Gelato in Belize?

Those of us who live on the Placencia Peninsula and those who visit, have the absolutely improbable and delightful opportunity to enjoy what many consider the best ice cream in this part of the world. The Italian Gelato at TuttiFrutti (right next to The Purple Space Monkey) is so good, that it has become a weekly obligatory part of our shopping... one container of chocolate, one of Bailey's or cappucino, and one of mixed berry. Deciding is almost as much fun as the eating.

David Crellen's Great Belize Photos

It’s easy for us to be in a “routine” here on the beach in Belize. It just takes our delightful guests and their great photos to jar us back to reality! David & Karen Crellen from San Diego were great fun to spend time with and they also really took advantage of all of the great things to do while they were here. See David’s great photos here.

They particularly liked their trip to Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve…
This is from a visitor review on Yahoo…

“Doyle Gardiner’s Cockscomb tour is a must-see if you are in Belize. Licensed and very professional, Doyle is an excellent guide through the Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve. He combines sheer fun with knowledge and respect for the environment in a well-rounded tour that is a very unique and unforgettable experience. The tour includes a nature hike, which Doyle leads with humor and a great deal of knowledge, as well as a lazy cruise down the river in an inner-tube, where you will be surrounded by lush greenery, the call of birds, and a feeling of peace. The finale finds you sliding down a series of waterfalls! It’s an exciting, adrenaline rush that people of varied fitness levels can enjoy. If you want to pack what feels like several days of experience into one day, Doyle’s tour is it. I walked away from the tour high on the excitement of the waterfall slides and with a feeling of grace for having been shown such a gorgeous environment.”

Snorkeling at the Barrier Reef, Money River jungle tour, Mayan Ruins, Cave Tubing, great diving, whale sharks, birding, orchids… Belize and the Placencia area has it all. Come visit us.

Visiting Iguana

Today, while tending to a chore in the garden nursery, I was holding a pump waiting on Louis to return from the shop with something. I couldn't really let go of the pump and as I stood there this medium size 2.5 foot iguana walked by my feet and proceeded to explore what I was doing and then climb the bougainevillea tree. We see iguanas almost daily, but not usually this "up close and personal."

Belize Rainfall Summary

traversbelize.com: Talking About the Weather in Belize...

Talking About the Weather in Belize...

There’s no question at all that we are very much still in the “dry.” That’s the shortened term used here by the locals for the dry season. We haven’t had appreciable rain here on the Placencia Peninsula in Belize for weeks. I’m sure our Cabana guests are mostly happy about it, but dang... we need the moisture. Watering of plants and young trees is a daily chore and our dug well is barely keeping up with it... so costly piped-in water has to be used or risk losing valuable specimens. Since we do all our own landscaping (or 99% anyway), it’s one of those things we just have to keep up. I must say, Miss Karen is much better at doing this than I am. She has more patience for it, or maybe is just able to tolerate the standing in the hot sun, or the early morning or late evening half hour of “no-see-ums” and the occasional mosquito. That’s the coolest time to water, of course. We heard a rumble of thunder last night and saw some lightning off in the distance... but no joy. The Belize National Meteorological Service keeps calling for "isolated showers" in the South, but we aren’t seeing them. The temp now at 7 am is 87 F with 85% humidity and not a lick of breeze. We’ll break 90 F again today and that’s hot for us! The ceiling fans are all running overtime.

Belize Update

A lot has been going on in Belize and at The Maine Stay and Kokomo, including almost 100% high season occupancy of our newly remodeled Cabanas suites… all to rave reviews from our guests.

Construction has started on another home in the Kokomo community and more than half the lots have been sold to folks who really are seeing the economic expansion of the spectacular Placencia Peninsula. A great website to see and hear the flavor of Placencia is “A Place in Belize”… put together by folks who are building a home on the Peninsula.

As I mentioned last week, the former garden palapa next to “Winnie’s House” (our residence) has gotten a new thatch roof, a new purpose and been expanded considerably and is directly attached to our house with classy new French doors. We moved all of the plant “nursery” operation to the other side of the house. Since we spend so much time outdoors, the palapa will become our living room, dining area and even have a great outdoor kitchen. It also has a rock wall “waterfall!” See the new “digs” here. And, if you're curious, you can see the construction and thatch process in these photos.

Speaking of palapas, we have added several smaller versions in The Maine Stay and Kokomo, and, we’ve added a nice new dock to our marina boardwalk. We finally found a source for the right floats and it turned out to be even better than we anticipated.

We continue to be delighted with the “Travers Zoo” collection. The dogs are wonderful (even Bowdoin, the new puppy!) and the parrots continue to amaze us with their intelligence and companionship.

Our guests in The Maine Stay Cabana Suites continue to delight us and to take some great pictures. Check out these photos by David and Karen Crellen.

I have a couple of treats in store for upcoming posts... stay tuned!

Outdoor Living in Belize

One of the huge delights about living in Belize is the way you can use the outdoors to enhance your living space. We recently completed enlarging and roofing our garden palapa. We really didn’t have any dining space in our house... so we decided to add this space, as well as an outdoor kitchen and living room area in our garden palapa. Although it took three or four months to complete, the project went smoothly and design elements seemed to fall into place as we went along. I suppose I could claim we had a grand plan, but that really wouldn’t be the truth. This is one picture of the new space and here is a link to more.

New Belize Puppy...

So Karen is sitting in the palapa and a guy in a truck stops fairly abruptly in front of our gate and gets out and looks around the vehicle and suddenly is depositing a little puppy on our lawn. Well, Miss Karen scoots out the gate and says "is that your dog?" and the guy says "no, he was wandering in the road and I almost hit him." Well, needless to say, he was soon inside with us and after a few days we learned that he belonged to a lady a few hundred yards up the road from us. So Karen brought him back to the owner, and a few hours later she (the rightful owner) was walking by our gate and here's the puppy tagging along with her... well, the puppy spied our place and immediately made a bee-line for the door and found a small opening to come in to the place where there's nice folks and food! The lady said, "he won't stay with me... you can have him." So, now we have a scrawny Belizean puppy to add to the menagerie. After a few days of healthy food, worm medicine, antibiotic for his skin infection and immunizations, he has blended in with the crew very nicely and is named Bowdoin. The name is from Bowdoin College near where we used to live and where our son, Kevin, is the Web Media Manager. Maybe being named after a great college will elevate his status in the world of Belizean mutts! Here's a picture of her (and Taco) more than a year later!