Frogs, Foxes & Forests

The CCSP Belize team was joined by professor Erik Lindquist from Messiah the other week to lead us on all sorts of jungle adventures. Our Forest Ecology course began with 2 nights down at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Belize, where we swam in waterfalls, watched exotic birds, and went on night hikes through the jaguar preserve. We saw a lot of wildlife including some gray foxes, king vultures, and a kinkajou (an adorable arboreal mammal).

Students volunteer to eat wild termites (no extra credit was given).
(Photo by Danielle Northuis)

Later in the week we continued our adventures at our home base in Cayo, where students continued their nights hikes and birding expeditions, visited a Mayan ruin, and each participated in research projects here in the rain forest. We all learned a lot about tropical forest ecosystems, and shared many unforgettable experiences. One night we even saw a margay (a small, spotted jungle cat) right here on our own campus!

Erik shows off the dewlap on an anole to students at the Mayan ruin of El Pilar.
(Photo by Danielle Northuis) 

The week ended with students presenting their research projects (with plenty of refreshments of course), and a visit to a local pond to search for tree frogs. There we found three species of tree frogs, including the red-eyed tree frog, and a Mexican parrot snake!

The iconic Red-Eyed Tree Frog clings to Mark's thumb after an eventful evening. 

 It was an unforgettable week to be sure, and we all look forward to the rest of the adventures that Belize has waiting for us.