Toledo Cacao-Fest 2010

Chocolate aficionados from all corners of Belize and beyond migrated to the southern end of Belize last weekend to attend the fourth annual Toledo Cacao-Fest in Punta Gorda.
The festival, organized by a group of volunteers from the Toledo community,including Ya’axche Conservation Trust,Toledo Cacao Growers Association,BTIA Toledo,Sustainable Harvest International,Punta Gorda Town Council and with support and assistance from National Institute of Culture and History (NICH),the Institute of Creative Arts, the Institute of Archaeology, the Belize Tourism Board, Love FM, Tropic Air and BRC Printing offered a weekend full cacao celebration as well as promoting other tourism opportunities in the district.

The festival kicked off on Friday night the 21st with a Wine & Chocolate Reception. Guests tasted chocolate samples from Belizean producers Goss, Cotton Tree and San Pedro’s own Kakaw. Kakaw proprietor Chris Beaumont was on-hand to showcase a decadent chocolate fountain where guests could sample a variety of fresh tropical fruits drenched in melted chocolate, yum!
Saturday the Taste of Toledo was an all day beachside affair featuring arts,crafts, music, dance, food and more. The festival moved to the nearby Labaantun ruins on Sunday where an opening performance of the Monkey Dance was staged by the villagers of San Jose. Archaeological presentations were held throughout the day and the event ended with a concert with the “Three Kings of Belize”, Paul Nabor, Florencio Mes and Mr. Peters accompanied by Carlos Perrote

Read more in our Visitor Guide this week:

Grand Belizean Estate donates to ACES

The American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES) located in the Toledo District received a well needed donation from Grand Belizean Estate Limited. The donation was in the sum of Belize $5,000 and will be used in the construction of a secure, natural habitat for crocodiles relocated to ACES’ facilities.
In a press release, ACES stated when relocating problematic crocodiles, their facility required a secure, natural habitat. The reptiles removed by the Forestry Department originate from various areas in the country and are taken to the ACES facilities. Crocodiles which have been removed from Ambergris Caye’s ecosystem have also found a home at ACES sanctuary.
ACES facility in the Toledo District

Grand Belizean Estate Managing Consultant Francisco Alvarado told The Sun that upon learning about ACES’s needs, Grand Belizean Estate did not hesitate to generously donate to the initiative. “We were impressed with the work ACES is doing to save these incredible animals. We became very much interested in contributing to the cause therefore we decided to make such a donation,” stated Alvarado. He added that they will continue to support ACES in their efforts to promote the protection of the American Crocodiles in Belize. He stated that Grand Belizean Estate has also committed their support to ACES’s desires in establishing a facility on the island, similar to that in the Toledo District.
With Grand Belizean Estate’s efforts to assist, ACES hopes to come up with a much need population assessment of the number of crocodiles and potential nesting sites in the area. Grand Belizean Estate stated that their donation is just one way they are giving back to the community. For the time being ACES said that the donation will help them significantly in the purchasing of some of the materials needed for the commencement of a 10,000 square feet containment area for the crocs. ACES is still short of $16,000 and are welcoming any donation. You can contact ACES by calling (501) 665-2762.

Wild Recon features Belize on Animal Planet

(l-r:Vince Rose, Donald Schultz, ACES Intern Marisa Tellez)

Belize has been in the spotlight in many international and well viewed programs. On Tuesday, January 19th, Belize was once again featured on The Animal Planet. As part of his ten episode animal adventure, South African Donald Schultz filmed his third episode of his Wild Recon show in two main areas of the country.

In Belize, Schultz set out on a dramatic search for deadly animals like crocodiles, howler monkeys, hawksbill turtles, sharks and rays, boa constrictors, rattle snakes and even tarantulas. In some instances blood or venom samples were retrieved from the animals. Schultz main purpose was to collect blood and tissue samples needed for research before these endangered animals disappear. Some of the animals were fitted with tracking devices which will alert Schultz headquarters in the case of poaching.

First Schultz headed into the dense rain forest canopy to track down one of the loudest animals in the world, the howler monkey which he described as “a critically endangered primate that is falling prey to poachers.” While in the deep forest of Toledo, Schultz stumbled upon a tarantula spider which was almost as big his hand. He proceeded to anesthetize the spider and with a tiny electric shocking device, Schultz managed to draw the spider’s rare and understudied venom. While Schultz came across and attempted to extract venom from a rattle snake, he was not as lucky it proved to be dry of venom.

His trip to Belize also took Schultz to Belize’s Barrier Reef. Along with his team, Schultz collected blood and tissue from nurse sharks, rays and even a juvenile hawksbill turtle (he was fitted with a tracking device). After days of several attempts, he finally got the opportunity to capture an American Crocodile. While in southern Belize, Schultz and his production team were hosted by the American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES) in the Toledo District.

In an exclusive interview with The San Pedro Sun, ACES Founder and Crocodile Behaviorist Vince Rose explained that he was extremely pleased with the episode. “While the episode was not about ACES, I am happy that ACES got the exposure to help educate the world about American crocodiles and for that we are extremely pleased,” explained Rose. He added that, “a source of education is television through educational program such as Animal Planet. Donald Schultz’s Wild Recon episode definitely educated millions of people in the world about endangered animals and at the same time giving Belize a positive exposure.”

The episode was filmed in late July and early August mainly along Belize’s Barrier Reef and in the Toledo District. Rose concluded that Schultz expressed that not only was he satisfied and pleased about Belize, but is considering returning in the future.

Samples taken have been studied: the monkey turned out to be disease free, the shark and ray samples are now part of a global database that will be used to enforce anti-poaching laws, the spider turned out to be Citharacanthus meermani a newly described species of tarantula spiders and its venom is being analyzed by a Swiss pharmaceutical laboratory, while the croc remains safe at ACES and is being used for educational purposes.

ACES Intern Marisa Tellez assists Donald Shultz while taking a blood sample from an American Crocodile.