Belize Wildlife & Referral Clinic

25/03/2026

What a day: From Iguana 🦎 conservation to wildlife anatomy and so much more!

Welcome 🤗 and big thanks 🙏 to our group of aspiring veterinary students from UCLA for their participation, interest and also support through our Wildlife Medicine and Conservation course!

😊 this is the first group in the 🆕 Wildlife and One Health Classroom, which today received the generous 🤩 donation of 20
🪑 from the wonderful people from Supermart!

24/03/2026

We’re sharing this video again as an important reminder about New World Screwworm (NWS) in Belize. You might've seen the news of a tapir with a severe screwworm infestation that, thankfully, was able to recover and be released back into the wild. 💚

NWS poses a threat to wildlife, pets, livestock, and even people, and early detection can make all the difference. This video explains:
🔍 What New World Screwworm is
⚠️ How to recognize the signs
👀 What to watch out for in wounds
🩹 Preventative care and treatment

Please stay vigilant, especially if your animals have any open wounds because the smallest of injuries can start an infestation. Quick action can save lives.
Watch, share, and help spread the word so more people know what to look for.

https://youtu.be/iklWSgcsyV0?si=bxtnzQ_dU2ZbB69c

This video presentation from Dr Isabelle Paquet-Durand outlines the risky spread of New World Screwworm in the country and actionable advice for handling thi...

24/03/2026

Great collaboration for an even better result! Thanks again to the Dyck family, The Belize Zoo & Tropical Education Center and our own Dr. Isabelle for making this rescue, rehabilitation, and release possible 💚⛰️🐮

24/03/2026

Ms. Jen McKnight has been such a support to us here at BWRC- truly more than words could even explain. Along with all the other amazing work she does for Belize's wildlife she is a weekly volunteer here at the clinic and having her come in always brightens our days 🤗

23/03/2026

Human Wildlife Conflict: Raccoons 🦝🐾
Raccoons are next up in our list of common HWC species. While they can be undeniably cute, raccoons pose a serious public health risk as they are carriers not only for the deadly rabies virus, but also for the extremely dangerous raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris). For this reason and many others raccoons SHOULD NEVER be kept as pets. 🙅‍♂️🪱🪦
Common conflict situations we encounter with raccoons are due to them foraging through trash, stealing accessible pet food and nesting in walls due to available access. This is just them taking advantage of what's at their disposal as any animal will naturally do. 🤷
Conflict resolution looks like securing trash cans, eliminating food sources (including access to any pet food at night), sealing off their access to homes ONLY when the nesting spaces are vacant, and using noise and lights to deter them. Using such methods we can respectfully coexist with these critters and keep them as they should be: WILD! 🌳🦝🦝🦝🌳

22/03/2026

Sometimes, the difference between life and loss… is a group of people choosing to care deeply, selflessly, without hesitation.

This story began in quiet suffering.
A tapir was found wandering confused and weakened, painfully thin, and being eaten alive by screw worms. Every step looked painful. It was the obvious kind of suffering that stays with you.

It could have ended there.

But the Dyck family refused to let it.
They acted immediately, becoming the first hands to lift this animal out of suffering and into a chance at life. That moment… that decision… changed everything.

The called on our vet team to help, and as so often (behind the scenes) we worked together quietly and held onto hope tightly.

We treated wounds and infection that told stories of agony.

Weeks passed by and same tapir that once struggled to survive … began to move with strength.

The body that was once breaking… began to heal.

And then came the moment that makes every tear, every mile, every effort worth it…

Release.

Back into the wild. Back where it belongs… alive, strong, and free.

It was love in action. It was humanity at its best. It was proof that when we come together for something greater than ourselves we can rewrite endings.

With all our hearts, thank you to those who stood for this life:

The BelizeZoo, the Dyck family, BAHA, and Program for Belize. And of course our BWRC sponsors, donors and funders!
Because of you… a heartbeat continues in the wild.

22/03/2026

Thanks 🙏 to kind humans, supporters, donors, volunteers and funders and foremost our partners in conservation!

Fingers crossed 🤞 „Sir Frederick“ as he was affectionately named will live a long happy life in the wild, after recovering ❤️‍🩹 from life threatening parasite and wound infection!

21/03/2026

Yesterday was a pleasure for our team to participate in Galen Eagle Day! 🦅🌟

We always enjoy opportunities to connect with students, faculty and visitors. Sharing about wildlife conservation and seeing such curiosity and compassion from the next generation of environmental stewards makes all the difference for us here at BWRC.

A big thank you to the organizers for having us and creating the space to share what matters to each of us and how we can make a difference! 💫🌎🦜

20/03/2026

📞 Love wildlife? Ready to make an impact?

Join BWRC as our Wildlife Hotline Coordinator and Wildlife/One Health Educator and help:
✔ Respond to emergencies
✔ Educate communities
✔ Prevent wildlife conflict

Apply today: bzwildlifeambassador@gmail.com

19/03/2026

It was a pleasure for the BWRC outreach team to attend New Hope High School Career Day 2026! ✨💚

We truly enjoyed engaging with students and seeing the curiosity, passion, and questions from the next generation of nature stewards for our Jewel! It’s always encouraging to meet young people who care about wildlife, conservation, and the health of our environment. 💠🌱🙌

A special thank you to Ms. Naomi Sylvania for facilitating this event and for extending the invitation to BWRC. We’re grateful to have been part of such a meaningful day and look forward to inspiring even more future conservation leaders. 🤩🦝🦇🐆🐒

18/03/2026

🙋‍♂️ What do you think about: Adopting the medical care of a patient in rehab for release? So, to be very clear: no adoption to own (that would be illegal!), but more as a support to return to the wild. In turn for updates and photos.

Why? Remember our almost „viral“ patient, Georgie the Howler monkey 🐒 (from Georgeville…)? Rescued in July 2025 by our team, he was the first reported wildlife case for 😞 New World Screwworm in 🇧🇿. He almost died and nearly lost his leg 🦵. BWRC has been caring for him for 6+ months, with 30+ surgeries and while he is almost healed 😀, he is also our charities most expensive patient with a care value of $15,000!!

This and several other VIPs and expenses, an increase of cost by almost 30% last year (!!) the construction and upcoming baby season, make that we have to find new and more ways to support the cost of veterinary care and rehabilitation.

Would you adopt a patients care costs? Do you have fundraising ideas that could help patients like Georgie?