COMMUNITY BABOON SANCTUARY

This Black Howler Monkey sanctuary was created in 1985 (in Belize black howlers are called “baboons”, even though they have little in common with African Baboons), with funding from the World Wildlife Fund, after zoologists studying black howler monkeys found that although their population was rapidly shrinking due to habitat destruction and hunting elsewhere in Central America, the Belizean Howlers in the Bermudian Landing area were thriving. After meeting with local residents to talk about the possibility of creating a preserve for the howlers the Community Baboon Sanctuary was born, with over 100 village families from seven villages promising to refrain from cutting down trees on their properties so that the howlers will have tree habitat and food sources. 

      These “vocal” monkeys are one of the two species of monkeys found in Belize, and are rated among the world’s loudest animals-they can be heard over a mile away!