Located 1 hour west of Belize City in La Democracia Village, the Belize Zoo is an animal sanctuary situated within 29 acres of tropical savanna. It is considered one of the best zoos in the world and it is sure to change your perception about what zoos should be!
Not Your Ordinary Zoo tour
Unlike the vast majority of zoos across the world, the Belize Zoo is unique in that it serves as a wildlife refuge for orphaned or rescued native Belizean animals and it is primarily used as an educational facility to promote wildlife conservation efforts.
The zoo has approximately 200 animals of Belize, representing over 45 native species. As mentioned, none of the animals are taken from the wild, instead, they were either born at the zoo or were injured in the wild and brought in for rehabilitation and could not be returned due to their injuries.
More information:
- Location: Mile 29, George Price Highway (formerly, Western Highway).
- Open: Monday to Sunday 8:30AM – 5:00PM
- Admission: $15 for adults and $5 for kids
- The estimated time for this tour is about 2 hours but you can surely take additional time if you desire a more leisurely experience.
- There are a few extra tours that can be done at the Zoo. There is a guided nocturnal tour, nature walks, tapir encounter and the Jaguar encounter.
N.B. As an NGO, there are various ways you can choose to support the Belize Zoo. You can either: 1. give a donation, 2, ‘adopt’ an animal, 3. become a member, or 4. volunteer. Check out their volunteering/internship opportunities!
