Even when there’s nothing specifically to organize a party over, Belizean hospitality means good times are almost a guarantee, whether a visitor is dousing fry jacks in Marie Sharp’s habanero hot sauce or banging traditional Garifuna drums down in Hopkins. In typically Belizean fashion, these celebrations are bound to be lively, colorful, musical, and delicious. “The goal of the upcoming anniversary festivities is not only to promote the Reef’s brand on an international scale,” continues Minister Mahler, “but also to give a chance for the public to learn about the value of this incredibly beautiful yet very fragile marine ecosystem, and encourage positive actions that’ll not only preserve but also allow the Belize Barrier Reef to thrive for thousands more years to come.” Events include snorkeling and diving tours at Hol Chan and Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve kayaking, fishing competitions, and cookoffs. Gladden lies directly on the edge of the widest and most picturesque section of the Belize Barrier Reef, the longest in the Western Hemisphere and the 2nd. No matter where you are in Belize, that spirit of conservation is strong.īelize will be celebrating the 10,000th birthday of the reef with events during the first half of June, starting in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, through Turneffe Atoll, down south to Hopkins. We offer Belize diving and Belize fishing adventure packages you should check out.Belizean kids learning about their natural heritage at Chaa Creek Chaa CreekĮven beyond the coast, luxury resorts like Chaa Creek in San Ignacio bring this mentality to the jungle environment, with biodegradable products, environmental education programs, and an onsite organic farm to stock the restaurant. Don’t miss an opportunity to experience it for yourself!Įl Pescador resort on Ambergris Caye is just minutes from the reef. Its unique beauty and complexity is truly a wonder of the world. The reef is home and host to hundreds of species of fish, shell fish, anemones, lobster, octopus, and other sea creatures. The coastal area of Belize is an outstanding natural system consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and. The reef cannot survive without this vital symbiotic relationship. We are based at Turneffe Atoll, which at. In turn, the carbon dioxide waste produced by the polyps is absorbed and processed by the blue algae. Belize is home to the second largest coral reef in the world with over 500 species of fish and 100 species of coral. To the east of the Barrier Reef are three separate atoll reefs. It is the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere and the second longest in the world. Living among the coral skeletons are blue algae, which, through photosynthesis, produce the oxygen the polyps need to breathe. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System lies about half a mile off the winward side of the island. The reef is a remarkably diverse and balanced ecosystem. During the day, the polyp tentacles reside within the protective hard corallite skeleton, but at night, using the current and stinging properties of their tentacles, the polyps feed on minute organic matter swept in from the ocean or mainland rivers and creeks. It spans some 180 miles.Ĭoral polyps feed on small floating organic matter at night. Across this network of tropical habitats. This is the second largest barrier reef in the world. We focus on the five key habitat types surrounding the island: forereef, patch reef, mangrove, seagrass, and bare sand. Sea Turtles and other marine life inhabit the barrier reef off the coast of Belize. The various colors and formations of these layers of calcium carbonate, called corallites, are the inspiration behind the various species names such as elkhorn, brain, large star, finger and plate corals. The various species of coral that form the reef are carnivorous tube-shaped polyps that live within a hard, protective skeleton formed by excreting calcium carbonate. The reef wall is formed by numerous colonies of living, breathing invertebrates, coral polyps. The Belize Barrier Reef runs the length of this Central American nation, some 180 miles. The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest, after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, in the world.
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