Medicinal Jungle Trail and Green Iguana Project

Since its formal opening in December 2003, school groups of different levels, tourists and the general public have been visiting the Green Iguana Project and Medicinal Jungle Trail.

Visitors to this interactive and educational program have the opportunity to smell or taste the herbs that are frequently used by locals as remedies or cures to everyday illnesses. Informed guides will also provide informative explanations about their uses. A popular part of the program is the highly visited conservation project of the Green Iguana where bright green, juvenile iguanas are cared for until they are ready to be released into the wild. Using perfect camouflage, these juvenile iguanas would go unseen in their temporary home if it were not for your guide pointing out the first few. You can imagine that they are even less visible in the wild.

The results for this year have been excellent. The juvenile iguanas are growing rapidly and show much of their natural behaviors in their lush and spacious exhibit. Added to the exhibit are some of Belize’s native wood turtles that spend much of their time wading in shallow pools.

The Adopt an Iguana Program has also been very successful. Each person adopting an iguana receives a beautiful certificate as well as a t-shirt with the iguana logo.

We feel that the threatened and endangered species of Belize need more protection, and by using interactive exhibits and programs, we can help educate and create a greater awareness among the general public.

Students’ Conservation Tour

Belize’s tropical wet forests offer many fascinating fields of research and discovery for all ages, much within easy reach. Many of Belize’s schools incorporate the study of our natural environment into the curriculum. Some subjects such as History, Geography, Science and others, include field trips for students. The Medicinal Jungle Trail and Green Iguana Exhibit are often utilized in educating Belizean children.

The Medicinal Jungle Trail begins at only a few feet from the hotel and soon meanders below a high forest canopy, designed for easy access. The students learn why it is important to protect more of our forests, and they appreciate the fact that some day in the near future these very plants may hold the cure for rare diseases.

Most of the plants with medicinal values we now use were passed down from one generation to the other, and today there are also a number of pharmaceutical companies who are continuously working to analyze and research the complex chains of compounds found in plants in the hope to find a cure for some of our deadliest diseases.

We always welcome students, for they are the ones who will lead and set the path for future generations to come. We have hosted over a dozen schools from across the country for educational field trips, and a total of approximately one thousand students have visited us within the last six months, not including curious tourists. We continue to welcome visitors from at home or abroad.

For more information about these and other project please contact us at: sanighot@btl.net