Belize is a small English-speaking county in Central America adjoining just south and east of Mexico.  Belize has the largest coral reef in the Americas.  The county is about 170 miles long and 60 miles wide with about 340,000 people living there.  The Mayan civilization was present in Belize from 1500 BC to 900 BC and a number of Mayan cities have been excavated.  Belize has one of the highest percentages (36%) of protected land in reserves or national parks of any county in the world.  Nearly 600 species of birds have been recorded in Belize.

We did a one day trip to Tikal in Guatemala where we encountered a Fer-de-Lance, a highly poisonous snake.  This snake's formal name is Bothrops asper.  The Fer-de-Lance is a well camouflaged snake that rests under leaves in the forest and can strike up to the knee.  Antitoxin can reduce tissue damage and death from the Bothrops ' bite.  The snake can move very fast.

Belize

Red-footed Booby

Half Moon Caye National Monument

Belize

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Belize Zoo

Belize

Magnificent Frigatebird

Half Moon Caye National Monument

Belize

Black-collared Hawk

New River

Belize

Black-collared Hawk

New River

Belize

Baltimore Oriole

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Great Black-hawk

New River

Belize

Purple Gallinule

New River

Belize

Thick-billed Seed-finch

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Red-footed Booby

Half Moon Caye National Monument

Belize

Sunrise

Half Moon Caye National Monument

Belize

Blue-black Grosbeak

Blue Hole Monument

Belize

Green Kingfisher

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Altamire Oriole

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Little Blue Heron

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Blue Hole Monument Belize

Black Howler Monkey

Lamanai

Belize

Violaceous Trogon

Lamanai

Belize

Social Flycatcher

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Blue Grosbeak

Half Moon Caye National Monument

Belize

Little Blue Heron

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Little Blue Heron

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Fer-de-Lance

Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Sunset

Half Moon Caye National Monument

Belize

Sunrise

Half Moon Caye National Monument

Belize

Vermillion Flycatcher

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Green Kingfisher

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize

Royal Flycatcher

Blue Hole Monument

Belize

Gray-necked Wood-rail

New River

Belize