Lisa at The Belize Zoo

Boasting itself as “The Best Little Zoo in the World”, The Belize Zoo certainly captures the heart of all its visitors, including its interns. I spent my two weeks of internship getting to know the zoo and the animals which call it home. Here I prepared food daily for all the animals, including the mammals, monkeys, and numerous species of birds. Along with feeding the animals, I cleaned the exhibits and made sure all the animals had fresh water for the hot Belizean days. The highlight of my days at the zoo were feeding and caring for Junior, a two month old baby jaguar. Junior was born at the zoo after his mother was captured from the wild after disturbing the Springfield Mennonite Colony. Now two months old, Junior is growing strong and doing well. Don’t let his cuteness deceive you; his powerful jaws and claws leave quite the mark! Fears are meant to be conquered. Another memorable moment from my experience at the zoo was handling the 6 foot Central American Boa Constrictor, Balboa. My fear of snakes had to be momentarily forgotten as I held the snake for visitors to the zoo to touch and hold, convincing them to face their own fears. Irony is a funny thing.