Eco-challenge winners and Reef Festival highlights

While spectators waited for the kayaks to make their way to Central Park, the Reef Festival was in full swing. A poster and a sand castle building competition took place. Below find some highlights.1st place - Samantha Milian - $100, courtesy of Smart!

2nd place - Alexis Roca and Giselle Alamilla - $75, courtesy of Smart!3rd - Isolene Bailey, Ashley, Gian Carlo - $50, courtesy of Smart!

1st place- Eric, Mariano, Mariel

2nd place- Isolene Bailey, Princess Bailey, Gian Carlo, Brian and Sebastian

3rd place - Elsa, Berta and Noah

Judges for both competitions

The 5th annual Eco Challenge culminated at Central Park where the Reef Festival was taking place. Top winners were:1st place Overall - Galen Warriors - Mario Sanchez and Alfonso Ayala sponsored by Galen University

2nd place - Lazy Lizards - Immer Perez and Salva sponsored by Lazy Lizard and Anwar's Tours

3rd place - We Nuh E-Z - Jimmy Polonio and Rafael Averez, sponsored by Caye Casa

4th place - Reef Radio - Sergio Lopez and Byron, sponsored by Reef Radio 5th place - Searious Dilligaf - Martin John Leslie and Gilbert Spain, sponsored by Searious AdventuresOldest Paddler went to Galen University

Winners Circle:

And they're back!!

The first of many teams have already crossed the finish line, much to the delight of the crowds gathered at Central Park.

Team Caye CaulkerTeam Galen University
Exhausted but smiling and happy to have made it!
First-time paddlers Ernesto Gomez and Alex Escalante
Brian Marin and Ricky Marin
At the front, Ariel Valdez Ayuso
High School students - some of them, first time challengers!
(Ricky, Ernesto, Alex, Brian, Ariel)

And they are off!! Eco-Challenge 1st Day

The 5th Annual Lagoon Reef Eco-Challenge was off! At the count of three, 44 participants paddled their way into the first leg of what will be a two day race. 22 teams prepared, anticipated, anxiously awaited dawn and headed out to the Old Football Field where it all began. Once there, much commiserating took place as everyone got ready to begin. Bets were placed among themselves, laughter echoed and teams wished each other luck. Winners will walk home with great prizes. Prizes are as follows:

Overall Race:

1st place - $3,000 + $300 bar tab from Lazy Lizard Caye Caulker

2nd place - $2,000

3rd place - $1,000

Junior Category: 1st place - $1,000

2nd place - $500

3rd place - $300

Station Prize Day 1 Basil Jones - $800

Fun Categories:

Best Sportsmanship - $250 gift certificate from Milo's

Most Creative - Mar de Colores Gift Package

Dog Tired - Pampered Paws full groom and flea bath

Grumpiest Team - 2 round trip tickets Caye Caulker Water Taxi

I'll never do this again - 2 round trip tickets Caye Caulker Water Taxi

Team that got lost - Castillo's Hardware flash light set

Neck and neck - WatchesCameras were everywhere, everyone was ready to catch the action on film!Paddlers get ready and wait for the countdownSpectators lined the lagoon-side beach hoping to catch a glimpse of the raceReady ... set ... go!

To listen to live coverage visit The Reef Radio at

http://reefradiofm.tripod.com/

Be Kind Belize Program visits SAGA

Colette Kase

The students from Teacher Helen and Tara's class had the great opportunity to visit SAGA this afternoon as part of their Be Kind Belize workshop participation.

While at SAGA, the students got to listen to Jambo's, Veterinarian Laurie's best friend, heart beat, get informed as to the requirements to become a vet, the cost incurred when caring for a pet, and the care that they need.

Be Kind Belize has been developed by Colette Kase, a resident of San Pedro, who worked in the field of animal welfare and education for most of her career in the UK. She designed the programme to compliment the Belize National Curriculum, enabling schools to take part while fulfilling their educational obligations.

Colette Kase says, “The children of San Pedro are so bright and enthusiastic and they just seem to be so excited about learning how to protect the environment and save it for generations to come. But we don’t just teach about the environment - Be Kind Belize teaches children to be kind to themselves, kind to others and kind to animals. The workshops are fun and interactive and the kids have a great time participating, making teaching and learning a wonderful experience.”

Some of pets available for adoption at SAGA:

At ACES, our crocs travel in style

from Cherie Chenot-Rose and Vincent Rose of ACESGruff is an adult male Morelet (Crocodylus moreletii) almost seven feet long living in a man-made canal in Ladyville just outside of Belize City. After several citizens called Belize Forest Department (BFD) worried about how closely the croc was approaching them, ACES was called in to assess the situation. A three hour drive later, our suspicions were confirmed that the croc was indeed being fed by humans....humans? What's a human? Delicious and notorious and tastes just like chicken!
After several hours of net setting while two crocs watched us eagerly smelling the chicken we had for bait, we left the site. Only to return later that night to find a croc sitting at the mouth of the net. As of 9am the next morning, still no croc in the net. We drove back to PG (spotting many Jabiru Storks on the way) to take care of our pot-lickers. At 7 am the very next day, the call came that we had a croc in the net...of course we did...so back into the car for a 3 hr drive back up north. This trip we spotted two Picary (wild pigs) on coastal highway, which by the way is no where near the coast, but extremely bumpy and unpaved. Yes indeed the croc was still contained. We wrangled the croc out of the net growling and squirming and secured him for the long ride back to ACES. He was named Gruff due to the low growling noises he made continuously throughout his capture and the fact that he was and is very surly! So we all buckled up and sped home for a safe release. One more croc saved from eminent death. The alternative for problem reptiles like Gruff here in Belize is a shotgun.
Thanks for all the great responses to our donation situation and several of you may play a closer role in ACES's croc-crusade in the near future. Currently, we have a NPO already in place that is willing to help and we hope soon to reveal where to donate to for a tax deductible donation. Those who do not need a tax deduction, feel free to help directly to ACES. No amount is too small. We still need to complete the boardwalk between the croc viewing pens and put up hand rails for visitors safety. Thanks for your support and Helping to Take a Bite Out of Extinction!

ACES/American Crocodile Education Sanctuary
Marine Biologist Cherie Chenot-Rose
Water Hole Road, Forest Home
PO Box 108, Punta Gorda, Toledo
Belize, Central America
011-501-665-CROC(2762)
Help Take A Bite Out of Extinction!
Go to www.americancrocodilesanctuary.org

Pictures courtesy of ACES