Holiday in Caye Caulker

12^th May 2013

·      Birthday breakfast

·      Catch up on projects and blogs

·      Lunch

·      Birthday dinner!

·      Presentation

Today was my birthday, and mother’s day! I am glad to be here in Belize to celebrate this lovely day, but I wish I could have seen my mom as well. Other than missing my mother, this is a birthday I will remember forever. I was surrounded by loved ones. Maurice the chef of Wish Willys even made me a cake. The day consisted of swimming and eating. It was not a very productive.

Kara and I celebrating my birthday, with a crown!

Well I am going to rant a little before I explain the evenings presentation Friends of Swallow Caye organized for us. The knowledge I have gained here is incomparable to Las Cuevas.  I miss the forest. During this week, we have experienced new things, but unfortunately only reinforced what Boris taught us in the Chiquibul. The instructors here had the “go slow” attitude and were a little disorganized. I hope next year, the week the students spend in Caye Caulker will be more structured.

Jonathan and Alex with Ali's son

Friends of Swallow Caye ever so graciously volunteered their time and prepared a presentation for us after dinner. Friends of Swallow Caye (FOSC) was organized in 1996 to promote and declare Swallow Caye, Mapp Caye, and parts of Drownder Caye, a floating forest of mangroves, as a wildlife sanctuary for manatees. In 2006, the organization was successful, creating a haven for Antillean manatees. They have recorded 900 manatees there at one time! Chocolate was the president and founder of FOSC, but unfortunately passed away a month ago. The NGO faces a lot of trouble due to lack of capital resource.

Sunset on Caye Caulker

 They rely on membership fees, donations, and park entrance charge to fuel their program.  FOSC practices participatory management. All members have a say in the NGO’s decisions and focus of the programs. Currently FOSC performs manatee research, community outreach, management of the sanctuary, membership communications, and surveillance along with enforcement (unfortunately they do not have a full time park ranger due to lack of resources). I admire FOSC commitment to the manatees; they all work 9 to 5 jobs, but still volunteer their free time for the greater good.