New Rescue Center Advances Belize’s Manatee Conservation Mission

Belize’s endangered manatees may soon have a new lifeline. Nearly two years after the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute broke ground on a marine rescue and education center, the facility is nearing completion. News Five spoke with Director Jamal Galvez about the progress so far and his vision for protecting Belize’s gentle giants.

 

Jamal Galvez, Director, Clearwater Marine Aquarium

“We will be able to rescue manatees, sea turtles in need of care, small calves, adults as well. We have a capacity to accommodate up to twelve manatees according to USDA standards. This is a state-of-the-art facility. If we are going to do it, we wanted to do it the right way and provide another opportunity, another place that these animals can receive care in close proximity to where these incidents occur. Most of these incidents as it relates to manatees are in the Belize City, Placencia area, and with the paving of the Coastal Road that brings this location within an hour to where these incidents occur. It is accessible to the public. Belizeans can be a part of this journey. They can come there, kids can come and get inspired, just like when you go to the Belize Zoo and you learn about these animals, about education, same here, but the goal is to rescue, rehab and release where possible. But now we have a facility where if there is an animal we cant release, because of some disability or some reason that would make them not be successful in the wild, we have a place that can be a forever home for them.”

 

The center is being built in partnership with the Belize Tourism Board. Galvez says the Fisheries Department will work closely with the center.

 

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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