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Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

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The post Protecting Nesting Iguanas Strengthens Wild Populations first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

                    On the Phone: Adrian Balan

On the Phone: Adrian Balan, Cattle Farmer

“We have been having that issue years a back with our family, because it is a family thing that we have in that area, uncles, brothers, cousins. We have cattle in that area. So, every year we are losing animals. We put vaccines, because here in Belize they put vaccine for black legs and rabies. So, we out black legs and rabies every year back-to-back. But we vaccine every year and we are still losing. I would want to know what is happening because we done get test from the water, test from the cattle, blood test and everything and everything comes back negative. In that video you are seeing there are three animals down and we went to vaccine today, just today we went to vaccine again. We found three animals today and animals started to die from starting January. Right now we done lose like sixteen animals already. We done vaccine for everything already, black legs, rabies, thick fever. They look healthy and everything. We have taken the Ministry of Agriculture to help and they are saying it is not black leg because when it is black leg the ones from BAHA they know when it is black leg because that is their job. And they are saying it could be tick fever, but I done vaccine for tick fever two times, and still we are still having the same problem.”

Balan says his family is desperate for answers as their herd keeps dying despite vaccinations, tests, and help from agriculture officials, leaving them worried about how much more they can afford to lose.

The post Cayo Ranchers Hit Hard by unexplained Cattle Deaths first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

The incident, reported by staff at The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant, occurred late Monday night. A necropsy revealed the tapir was carrying a full-term calf weighing about 20 pounds. “Tragically, we lost two tapirs in this single incident,” the team stated.

Tapirs, Belize’s national animal, are increasingly vulnerable as expanding roads cut through their habitats. “This tragedy is a painful reminder of the risks wildlife face as roads present dangerous obstacles,” the Belize Tapir Project said, noting that collisions can be fatal for animals and hazardous for drivers.

This marks the third tapir killed in the area as conservationists call for wildlife crossings, underpasses, and better-informed infrastructure planning.

“As we move forward in 2026, let this loss renew our commitment to safer roads for both people and wildlife,” the statement concluded.

The post Pregnant Tapir Killed on Hummingbird Highway first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Hipolito Novelo, Reporting

The scarlet macaws that nest in Belize’s dense rainforests are among the most sought-after birds in the world. Their fiery red, blue, yellow, and green feathers are matched only by their loud calls and social nature. In captivity, they can live for more than seventy years, and on the black market, a single bird can sell for as much as fifteen thousand U.S. dollars. That value makes them a target.

                      Wilmer Guerra

Wilmer Guerra, Researcher, F.C.D.

“If you guys videoed today you would see how noisy there were. So, when we are coming up and they hear you if they are inside a nest they would poke their head out and they are very right red so it is easy for you to spot them. Then they start to vocalize. So even if you are far away you would be able to hear them. For a poacher, that is something that is really good for them. For us it is also good because we can easily identify a nest. But for a poacher, also very good for them if he comes in to try and take the chicks.”

Many years ago, poachers shot adult macaws out of the sky and collected the wounded birds. Today, they scale fifty- to seventy-foot quamwood trees, removing chicks before they can ever fly.

                       Rafael Manzanero

Rafael Manzanero, Executive Director, FCD

“They would walk for up to two, three days. We know they use these areas because in their description when we have detained and arrested them we have noticed in the interviews that they talk about Pine Ridge. So we know that they used to reach way up here. From their description it used to take them two days to be able to reach the target points. Once they reach there, they would climb the trees, extract the chicks and return back to Guatemala. Guatemalans over the years have indicated to us they have seen and recorded that it could be up to twenty-five parrots in average a year that could be moved from Belize to Guatemala. It is mostly used a pets. It is am emblematic species. It is a rare bird so the value increases.”

Half a century ago, scarlet macaw populations across Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico were collapsing. But new data from Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) shows the decline has slowed. As of mid-June 2025, FCD recorded twenty-three active scarlet macaw nests. Of the seventy eggs laid this season, forty-two have hatched, giving a promising 60 percent hatching success rate. Six eggs were lost to predation, sixteen failed to hatch, and six remain under incubation. Each stolen chick feeds a global illegal wildlife trade worth up to twenty-three billion U.S. dollars annually.

Much of the Scarlet Macaw monitoring is done in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, which is co-managed by Bulridge Company Limited. FCD co-manages the Chiquibul National Park. After a period of uncertainty, FCD had its license to continue monitoring the birds for two years. This is after Bulridge provided the Forest Department a ‘no-objection’ letter, as it has constantly done in the past. Threats persist beyond Belize’s borders. In Guatemala, traffickers continue to supply buyers seeking macaws as status pets.

                  Jose Maria Castillo

Jose Maria Castillo, Project Mananger, Associan Balam

“We have also identified small groups of collectors, intermediaries and other involved who were accumulating anywhere from two to as many as fifteen or seventeen Scarlet Macaws for trade. The price of a macaw on the market has reached as fifteen thousand Quetzales. It has become a livelihood for groups of people in the area who have dedicated themselves to it and it is quote difficult to control because they constantly change, and modify their techniques and tactics to carry out the trafficking.”

Despite strict wildlife laws, enforcement remains uneven across the region. Conservationists warn that without constant protection, poachers return quickly.

                         Kurt Duches

Kurt Duches, Director, WCS Guatemala

“Now they can also take eggs out of he nest because some buyers will buy the eggs and incubate them artificially but what usually happens is that they take them birds and feed them and water and just to take them to a certain size where the chicks have good feathers and then they put it on sale. We think those birds are being sold locally. In the past, every one in the community knew who was the poacher. That was his job. But, now we have people from Asia coming to the communities asking people to get them parrots eggs, fifty US dollars for a parrot egg or a hundred US dollars for a macaw eggs. So it has become easier.”

             Orlando Habet

Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development

“Through the Forest Department, we collaborate with them and FCD has some programs with them. From our side we are supportive because we are supporting FCD. Also because of their experience in handling wildlife  and getting them to a state where they are getting ready to be release and we are also learning from them.”

Reporting for News 5, Hipolito Novelo.

The post Saving Belize’s Scarlet Macaws: Into the Wild (Pt. 2) first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Veteran owner Harold Burns says most participants lose money simply by taking part in race days. “We spend more than we make, way more than we make,” he said, noting that transportation, feed, medical care, and equipment often exceed the race purse itself.

Burns owns 15 horses, five of which currently race. Among them is Amira, a filly who survived a near-career-ending injury early in her life. Burns recalled that she crushed her front leg in a stable accident and “almost amputated her left front leg.” After surgery and recovery, Amira went on to win five first-place trophies, beginning at just two years old.

Despite Belize’s horse racing history dating back to the 1800s, the sport has remained limited in scale. Burns said owners often do not even take home winnings, as prize money is shared immediately among crew members. “We don’t really make money,” he said.

Burns believes the sport could grow into a real industry with government support. He argues that investment through sports and tourism could create jobs, from feed mills and tack shops to trainers and jockeys. “It could become an industry that employs quite a bit of people directly and a lot more indirectly,” he said.

Local breeder Gilbert Canton agrees, noting that internationally horse racing is sustained by betting. He says Belize must develop its capacity to tap into that model if the sport is to survive.

Canton breeds his horses locally, carefully matching pedigrees and performance traits. “We try to see if we can breed a winner,” he said, explaining that most horses begin racing at age two.

Trainers and stable workers, many of whom work part-time, play a critical role in preparing horses for competitions. Trainer Arthur Veyes said managing a racehorse requires careful conditioning to avoid injury. “This is not my job,” he said. “This is just my passion and love.”

For now, those involved say horse racing in Belize continues to exist because of a deep love for the horse, while holding on to the hope that with proper investment, the sport could become more than a hobby.

The post Can Horse Racing in Belize Become an Industry? first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

The Neotropical Scarlet Macaw, one of the most recognizable bird species in the region, is native to the humid evergreen forests of Central and South America. While the species is listed globally as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the subspecies found in Belize, Ara macao cyanoptera, remains endangered due to habitat loss and pressures linked to human settlement and development.

In Belize, the Scarlet Macaw’s range is largely confined to the Chiquibul and Maya Mountain Massif. Sightings are most common along riparian corridors such as the Upper Macal River and its tributaries, including the Raspaculo, Monkey Tail, and Chiquibul Rivers, where food sources are plentiful during the dry season. Conservationists estimate the national population at just 300 to 350 birds, underscoring the importance of sustained protection and monitoring.

Friends for Conservation and Development has been leading Scarlet Macaw monitoring and nest protection efforts in the Chiquibul since 2011. In 2025, the organization continues to track breeding activity while guarding against poaching, particularly the illegal extraction of chicks from nests.

As of June 15, 2025, FCD identified 23 active Scarlet Macaw nests across the forest. Two nests failed after eggs were eaten by an unidentified predator. Data collected so far show that 70 eggs were laid during the season. Of these, 42 hatched successfully, 16 failed to hatch due to infertility or embryo failure, six were lost to predation, and six remain under incubation.

Based on current figures, hatching success for 2025 stands at 60 percent, a result conservationists consider promising. Egg failure accounts for 22.86 percent, while predation represents 8.57 percent of losses. Another 8.57 percent of eggs are still incubating, leaving room for further improvement in final outcomes.

The monitoring program has documented a total of 40 chicks so far this season. Twenty six remain in the wild within natural nests, while 14 are being cared for at in situ facilities at Las Cuevas.

FCD recommends continued monitoring of the remaining incubating eggs, along with targeted strategies to reduce nest predation. The organization also plans to explore whether nesting success is influenced by factors such as nest location, environmental conditions, or parental behavior.

The post Scarlet Macaw Nesting Season Shows Gains in Chiquibul first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

                            Jane Crawford

Dr. Jane Crawford, Veterinarian, Animal Medical Center

“I think one of the main things have to do is make sure their animals are properly secured if they are able to secure them. If the animals are not distrained this is not the time to do that because that is only going to make it worst. Animals should have some way to be secured. For indoor pets there are different methods that can be used. You have a thunder jackets, because animals that are afraid of lightning and thunder would have a more severe reaction with these explosive devices. So there are different stuff to keep them calm. The last resort is to give them some kind of sedatives but you have to contact your vet for that. You cant just give them something you have at home.”

                   Sheila Ford

Sheila Ford, Director, Corozal Animal Welfare Advocates

“There are simple things we can do to keep them safe. I have a dog that thunder, lightning and fireworks he would find the furthest corner in the bathroom and just lay there and shiver. Reassuring your pets, loving your pets, doing what you can to make sure they are safe is simple as that.”

The post Keeping Pets Calm: Advocates Share Fireworks Safety Tips first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Advocates report a surge in missing and injured animals each year as loud explosions trigger panic, causing pets to flee homes and yards. Sheila Ford, Director of the Corozal Animal Welfare Advocates, says, “We lose a lot of animals when the fireworks are set off…so much animals are unsecured, they run off.”

Ford said pets that do not escape often suffer severe anxiety. “The ones that are home are terrified, shaking under their beds,” she said.

Animal rescue groups say the situation worsens during peak celebrations. Michelle Rudon, president of the Society for the Promotion of Animal Rescue and Kindness (SPARK), said volunteers are flooded with distress calls to rescue missing pets.

Veterinarians warn that the fear can lead to serious injuries. Dr Jane Crawford of the Animal Medical Centre said frightened animals often run into traffic or injure themselves trying to escape.

“Here at the clinic, we see the aftereffects of this because we get the animals that come in, get lost, get on the streets, get hit.”

Crawford said her clinic performed three emergency surgeries on Christmas Day, including one case where a pet jumped from a veranda.

Advocates also point out that fireworks and firecrackers are classified as explosives under Belize’s Dangerous Goods Act, which requires a licence for sale and use. Halima Santos of SPARK questioned the widespread illegal use.

“These things are supposed to be sold to those with licences,” Santos said. “These things are sold illegally. You are telling me everyone in their homes has these dynamites, and it is ok?”

Animal welfare groups are now calling for stronger enforcement and policy changes. Ford has suggested limiting fireworks to specific hours, while Rudon is calling for a ban on firecrackers.

“If it was up to me, I would ban them completely,” Rudon said.

The post Should Fireworks Be “Banned” For The Safety of Pets? first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Imagine this, a quiet Sunday in the Jane Usher community turns heartbreaking as residents watch an injured horse collapse on the street, fighting for its life. Hours pass, night falls, and still no help comes. By the end of the day, the animal is dead, left unattended and later left to rot, while children play just steps away.

               Voice of: Resident of Jane Usher

Voice of: Resident of Jane Usher

“From yesterday this horse was here and people said they called for help and no one answered and the reason why I am talking is because I don’t want this horse to burst in front here because animal done the eat ah and ih wah be a bad smell for us here, especially me that lives across the street and other people dah back yah suh. And the pikney deh, you know pickney mischievous and all of them the talk about how the horse eat out from here and there and unu could witness and see it is not a good sight for the kids to watch in the neighborhood.”

Animal advocates say this is part of a bigger problem. Michelle Rudon of the Society for the Promotion of Animal Rescue and Kindness says it’s time to get horses out of Belize City, arguing they face daily abuse and starvation. Volunteer Georgia Aranda-Lewis agrees.

                       Georgia Aranda-Lewis

Georgia Aranda-Lewis, Volunteer, SPARK

“At this point I don’t know what else we can do for it to stop. I have complained to the City Council and the police department and nothing is being done. And it has to stop at some point. It is too much. One of the post I saw yesterday is that they should ban horses from the city and they should. I am in total agreement with that.”

Lewis says weak laws allow abuse to continue.

Georgia Aranda-Lewis

“The laws are not stiff. Nothing is being done whenever you call the police. We don’t know if they would go out and check. But I think if they penalize these youths and make arrest and take them to court, I think it would cut down drastically.”

SPARK made similar calls back in April after a horse was attacked by machete-wielding youths. Those youths were dragged before a magistrate and that horse, Wannie, has since made a full recovery and is back home with its owner after spending time in Spanish Lookout under rehabilitation. But the problem isn’t limited to horses. Over the weekend, during a Premier League match, a player kicked a dog that wandered into the playing field.

Georgia Aranda-Lewis

“It was painful because he walked towards the dog and kicked the dog. He could have turned the opposite direction and keep going. But, he walked towards the dog and kicked the dog.”

The player who kicked the dog, Latrell Middleton, has since issued a public apology. According to him, he regrets the incident and says it’s not representative of his character. And football authorities, including the Football Federation of Belize, condemned the act. The FFB says the behavior is unacceptable and contrary to the values and principles of football and that the matter will be referred to the FFB Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.

But, Lewis says, apologies are not enough.

Georgia Aranda-Lewis

“I don’t think it is not good enough. I think it is something that he googled or wrote for him. If he could have done a live apology or where we could have seen him be really sincere and ensure he would not do it again. But, just that type is not sufficient and a flag is not either.”

Advocates say until laws are enforced and penalties strengthened, animal cruelty will continue unchecked, whether on city streets or in stadiums. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

The post Animal Abuse in Belize City Ignites Public Outcry and Reform Push first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

BWRC described the cases as “heartbreaking”, noting that NWS is a flesh‑eating parasite whose flies lay eggs in even the smallest wounds. The larvae consume living tissue, often leading to severe injury or death if untreated.

While the parasite can affect livestock, pets, and even humans, BWRC says monkeys are among the latest casualties. In Belize, most reported cases involve livestock like cattle. 

Belize confirmed its first human case of New World Screwworm in August, involving a 21-year-old man from Benque. Within days, a second case was reported in a 60-year-old man from Camalote Village, who was being treated for a leg wound infected with the parasite.

Authorities urge the public to act quickly if they notice warning signs such as open wounds, foul odour or discharge, visible maggots, or animals persistently licking or scratching an area. Suspected cases should be reported immediately to the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) at 824‑4872 or WhatsApp (501) 670‑7003, and animals should be taken to a veterinarian without delay.

The post New World Screwworm Hits Belize’s Howler Monkeys first appeared on Greater Belize Media.