aces crocodile sanctuary

Nothing new here... everything is the same. The Parakeet is gaining weight, the Yucatan Squirrel is getting vicious, the Clay-colored Robin is still growing in her feathers and cannot be released until she is finished doing so. The Woodpeckers are around less but they're still being annoying and needy at times. The Chachalaca.. well.. might just be a permanent resident. At least she's cute? I tried so hard to make her think she's a Chachalaca!

Instead of droning on about my current uneventful and lackluster life here in Belize, I'm going to share a little about the torching of ACES Crocodile Sanctuary down in Punta Gorda this past weekend. If you're friends with me on Facebook, I may have inundated your news feed with links to different articles about this tragedy (sorry!). The news has made it on to CNN and it's a fairly good article. Sadly, the majority of the comments are lacking facts, extremely ignorant, and upsetting. I've had to force myself to stop reading all the garbage people are saying because it's only succeeded in making me depressed and hopeless for the future of the human race. Dramatic? I don't think so. Just realistic. The truth is, you cannot really have an honest opinion about this unless you are here and have experienced the need for all aspects of conservation in this country.

ACES is the only (legal) crocodile sanctuary here in Belize. They work closely with the Belize Forest Department to relocate problem crocodiles (made problematic through people feeding them) and provide sanctuary to those that cannot be released. They're also involved in education, research, and conservation, thereby doing the people, the environment, and ecosystems of Belize an invaluable service. It's unfortunate that there are many, many people out there who cannot see the great work that they have done. Thanks to a mob believing a psychic, thinking that limes on a table were sufficient evidence that the missing (neglected?) children were at ACES, and general ignorance, Vince and Cherie lost everything. Some of the crocodiles on site (endangered species, mind you) were killed and their house and guest lodge were torched. Cherie had been working with the locals to start a Humane Society in Punta Gorda. Stray dogs and cats run rampant around here and the majority of them are not spayed or neutered - you can see the problem. Recently donated veterinary supplies to go to the shelter were also burned. How is that beneficial to anybody? What is the point?

I could go on and on about how ridiculous this entire situation is but I will spare you. You can check out ACES website for updates and here is another article in which it tells you how to donate and help Vince and Cherie rebuild.

Way to go human race, way to go.