She put signs up in front of the cages, began publicizing the zoo and asking for donations to feed the animals. She also began visiting schools to show slides of the animals and issue invitations for teachers to bring the children on field trips to the zoo at no charge. The Belize Zoo is unlike any other zoo you may have seen. In front of each habitat area is a hand-lettered and painted sign with a message from the resident animal describing the animal and reminding the visitor of the need to protect its existence in the wild. The zoo is a favorite tourist destination, but its primary constituency is the children of Belize, several hundred of whom visit daily free of charge.
All visitors receive personal guided tours from the well-trained, enthusiastic staff.
Some animals are being bred with the intention of releasing the offspring into the wild. The most beloved resident of the Belize Zoo is April , the tapir, the Belizean national animal. Two years ago, two orphaned jaguar kittens were donated to the zoo by the government of Guatemala, bringing the resident jaguar population to four. The zoo has an adjacent picnic area, an outdoor ampitheatre, a library and a gift shop. Also under development is the adjacent Tropical Education Center, which will contain 140 acres of nature trails, a library, a guest dormitory, presentation rooms and an office, all to be powered by solar energy.