Hiking with Howler Monkeys, Canoeing with Crocs, and Suturing with Tree Cutter Ants

While this is our third weekend here in Belize, it is our first weekend away from Punta Gorda and away from the clinic. We have been meaning to start writing this Blog, but each night we say we will start, the task looks big, the humidity feels a bit draining, and bedtime starts to beckon (it gets dark around 6 pm this far south). So as we sit by the pool at the Black Orchid Inn in Burrell Boom (named after a device used by the logger men that were the first white men to permanently settle in Belize) we are making a belated start to our blog. We promise to backtrack and write about our first three weeks in Belize. Suffice it to say that we have been deeply immersing ourselves in the work of the clinic, intertwining with the diverse set of characters that populate it, and getting settled in.

The Community Baboon Sanctuary (Howler Monkeys are locally called baboons though they are outweighed by their African cousins by over a hundred pounds) is a cooperative of eight Creole villages that have banded together to protect the native monkeys. It is located in the northern central part of Belize. We took a guided tour of a small part of the Sanctuary today and plan on taking a nighttime canoe trip this evening.

Here is Sue's description of the outing: The nature walks are guided by local residents and the Sanctuary is managed by a local council as well (all women apparently because the men did not do a good job running the place). The walk goes through some forest as well a cleared land. We were fortunate to encounter a troupe of about 5 monkeys right away, including 2 juveniles (about 6 months old) and a dominant male. The young were very curious and actually took food (provided by the guide) from our hands. We got a demonstration of the male "howling" as well, provoked by our guide first imitating the calls and then the male responding. Our guide also showed us local medicinal plants, including trees to treat skin fungus and plants that can act as pregnancy tests. Best of all she demonstrated, on her self, how to use soldier ants as sutures, having the ant pinch her skin and then removing the ant body and leaving the head and mandible intact on the skin. I am considering trying this at the clinic the next laceration I have to suture. Tonight we are going on a night canoe trip to look for crocodiles. Guess who's idea that was?!

Okay, it was my idea (Len writing the next day). We spent and hour and a half methodically searching by flashlight for crocodiles on Muscle Creek with the son of the local founder of the Sanctuary as our guide last night. It was a near full moon and it was the only time Sue or I could recall being in a canoe after dark. Nighttime crocodile sighting is done by looking for the small red reflections of the flashlight in their eyes just above the water. It only works if they are facing toward the creek and you are sharp eyed enough to spot them (our guide is, us - not so much so). The setting was great as was the conversation with our host. The crocodiles were fairly uncooperative (from my perspective) or dutifully respectful (from Sue's perspective). We saw one and a half baby crocs, measuring less than a foot. We did hear a rather large crocodile up ahead splash into the water, but we didn't see him. It turns out the rainy season (now) is probably the worst time to go crocodile citing as they get easily hidden in the elongated banks of the swollen creeks and rivers. Maybe we'll return sometime during or after March. Anyone want to join us?