Welcome back to a conservation blog series on Belize! I recently returned from spending 10 days in the diverse Central American country as part of a Master’s program through Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Here I will be highlighting some of the conservation projects going on throughout the country in hopes to connect our Houston community with the global conservation community.
We concluded our stay in Belize learning about their national animal, the Baird’s (or Central American) tapir. Tapirs are quite unique-they are large herbivores related to horses and rhinos. If you’ve never seen a picture of a baby tapir before-here you go (it’s like a tiny little watermelon!). 
*Photo courtesy of Nashville Zoo-Baird’s Tapir.
Unfortunately, all four species of tapir are disappearing from South and Central America and Southeast Asia due to habitat loss and poaching.
Baird’s Tapir-Belize Zoo
Throughout our stay in Belize, we got to know a wonderful Belizean named Celso Poot. Celso works for the Belize Zoo; he is a first year international student in the Master’s program, and the program’s community partner in Belize. He is currently studying tapirs, and more specifically road mortality along a stretch of highway in Belize. He has mapped about 15 tapir deaths along this road over the past few years. Unfortunately, the part of the road where most of the tapirs have been found is a shortcut route, which means people are probably speeding to get to their destination. The adult Baird’s tapir is a slate grey color, which happens to be the same color as the road, which reduces visibility from the driver.
Celso presenting his tapir research in Belize
Celso hopes that the information he has gathered will allow him to do at least 2 things to help the tapirs. First, he could post slow down-tapir crossing signs along the highway, especially in stretches where he has observed a high road mortality rate. Second, he could paint brightly colored (white or yellow) tapirs on the road itself so drivers see the paintings before they see the road signs. These are simple solutions that could have lasting effects on saving the country’s national animal.
Tapir Sign-Belize Zoo
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