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MANATEE LAGOON (Stop 17 of 21) |
| The proposed Manatee Reserve includes a wide range of ecological communities ranging from mountain karst (limestone) forests to coastal lagoons. The reserve is being designed to balance a wide array of land use interests with the need to preserve the unique biological diversity found in this region in Belize. | |||
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Manatee Lagoons, also known as Northern and Southern Lagoons are located only 11 kilometers southwest of Belize City and 25 kilometers north of Dangriga. The entire proposed protected area covers approximately 8250 acres. Average rainfall for the area is approximately 70 inches per year. The land surrounding Manatee Lagoons averages about 10 feet above sea level. The site consists of a variety of different habitats. Lying in the coastal plain, Manatee Lagoons are actually filling in from the erosion of the Maya Mountains. Within a couple of thousand years, it is possible that this area will be completely dry and covered with broadleaf tropical forests. As it now is, the site consists of a brackish lagoon complex which is heavily influenced by the tides. Main Creek flows south from Northern Lagoon to Southern Lagoon. The Manatee River flows into Southern Lagoon, its source well up into the foothills of the Maya Mountains, draining through a limestone hills area. |
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| Mangrove forests cover the entire eastern portion of the area and the fringes of the lagoon, while savanna and swamp forests dominate the western portion of the proposed park. | |||
| The Manatee Lagoons are known for the rich fauna found there. Jabiru Storks frequent the shallow shorelines to feed. The Central American River Otter frolicks up and down the rivers and through the entire lagoon complex. Very healthy populations of Morelet's and American Crocodile live throughout the area, from the highest reaches of the rivers to the coastline. |
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| This area is an important breeding ground for waterfowl. Many of the surrounding shorelines are feeding grounds for ibis, egrets and herons. In Northern Lagoon lie two islands protected as crown reserves for nesting waterfowl. Ibis nest in large numbers here. Smaller numbers of egrets and herons also nest here. | |||
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One of the most notable species in this area however is the manatee. Manatees are common all along the coast of Belize, but the highest concentration in the country outside of the mouth of the Belize River is in the Manatee Lagoon area. It is estimated that the Manatee Lagoon complex is the largest breeding ground for these docile creatures in the entire Caribbean Basin. | ||
| A newly discovered nesting site for marine turtles was also just recently revealed. From the mouth of the Manatee River south for 2 miles you will find the highest concentration of turtle nests in Belize. This is one of the three major turtle nesting sites in Central America. While numbers of nesting turtles do not approach those of Costa Rica or Mexico, the beach is still very significant. | |||
| The village of Gales Point sits on a pretty peninsula sticking out into the middle of Southern Lagoon. This small village has a history of subsistence fishing and hunting in the region. Recently though, a new industry has sprung up. Tourism. Ex-fishermen can now guide you to limestone caves up the Manatee River, to the Bird sanctuaries to the north, to the turtle nesting grounds, or to Belize City through a series of mangrove lined channels and canals. |
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| While to date this site has no legal protection status, much of the surrounding land is National Land. The people of Gales Point and major conservation groups in Belize are lobbying to extend protection status for this environmentally rich area. Management plans have been drawn up and many scientific studies are currently under way exploring ways that people, development and the environment can co-exist to each others mutual benefit. | |||
 
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