BFREE and the Hicatee Awareness Month in Belize

About the organization

Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE) is a research field station and a 1,153 privately protected area. We were founded in 1995 with the mission to conserve the biodiversity and cultural heritage of Belize. We take on this responsibility by tackling several issues we face in Belize concerning our heritage. One of our most prominent awareness campaigns in recent years has related to the rapid decline of the Hicatee turtle.

How does heritage inspire BFREE goals?

The Hicatee has long been an important part of our culture, and their numbers are in rapid decline due to overharvesting. In partnership with the Turtle Survival Alliance and others, we have made a priority to protect, propose better conservation strategies and raise awareness for the species. We want them to continue to be a part of our culture now and in the future. At BFREE, we are home to the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center, the only facility in the country that is dedicated to breeding Hicatee for ecological research and reintroductions into the wild.

What initiative are you currently working on that relate to heritage?

BFREE operates the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center (HCRC), a captive breeding facility dedicated to breeding Hicatee for biological research and reintroductions into the wild. The HCRC has welcomed 100’s of guests from around the world to learn more about the hicatee, a national treasure of Belize. During 2017, we established Hicatee Awareness Month and have continued that celebration each year during October. We celebrate the 17th of October as National Hicatee Day. The goal of this initiative is to raise awareness about the current status and importance of the Hicatee turtle. This year, we were also excited to be able to conduct the first substantial rewilding effort of Hicatee turtles born at the HCRC. Over 150 turtles were released into the rivers, lagoons and creeks of Belize. Many of these turtles were tagged with sonic transmitters to be followed by research teams in the coming years.

How do you hope this initiative will serve Belize?

Hicatee is well-known as a delicacy here in Belize, and all the older folks can tell you that Hicatee cannot be found in abundance as before. Many people know of this, but do not know the extent of it. The Hicatee is listed in the top 10 most endangered turtles in the world by the IUCN, and it is classified as critically endangered. This means that the next tollbooth down that road is extinction. It takes as much as 16 years before the Hicatee turtle is old enough to reproduce. Allowing them to live long enough to continue the lineage is critical for the survival of the species. We try to inform people of these facts so that we can adhere to the laws and maybe one day they can make a comeback.

How can Belizeans experience this initiative?

In preparation for this year’s Hicatee Awareness Month, we created several new activities and resources for schools and the public to use. We also have a sing-along song “Mr Hicatee” that was released on the 5th of October to teach people about the status and importance of Hicatee. You can take part in sharing this song with friends, make the Hicatee promise, and even post a photo of you using a cape with #HicateeHero and #SavetheHicatee on the post.

See below some ideas:

Be a Hicatee Hero and make a promise to protect the species by following the laws of Belize.
“I, __________ promise as a Hicatee Hero to obey the laws of Belize that protect Hicatee and other wildlife, respect their homes in the wild, and share with others why the Hicatee is a national treasure.”
Write a letter and share what you believe makes the Hicatee turtle a National Treasure of Belize. Send your message to BFREE at education@bfreebz.org or in the mail to PO Box 129 Punta Gorda Belize, Central America.
Share your favorite hicatee resource, including the Hicatee and Ladder board game, fact sheet, or videos with your family and friends.
Listen to the sing-along song, “Mr Hicatee,” and help share it far and wide to teach others about the importance of the Hicatee.
Follow BFREE on social media to receive the latest updates on Hicatee conservation.

Contact:

You can learn more about hicatee conservation by visiting our resource library at or send us an email at education@bfreebz.org for additional information. Follow BFREE on social media for the latest updates, Facebook @BFREEBelize, and Instagram @BFREEBZ.

Written by Jonathan Dubon, BFREE Hicatee Science Fellow

Jonathan is a graduate of Independence Junior College located 22 miles east of BFREE. Growing up, he used to visit his grandma’s farm, which is where he got the first experience of being in nature. These experiences would go on to spark an eagerness to protect and learn about nature in him that he never knew existed. As a young man, Jonathan has always had a soft spot for nature in his heart. During his studies at IJC, he majored in the Natural Resource Management program, taught by Ms Abigail Parham-Garbutt. It was on a field course under this program that introduced him to BFREE and has since nurtured his passion and love for conservation. He is now the new fellow assigned to help Tom in managing the HCRC program. Jonathan’s favorite fact about Hicatee is that they grow large and powerful but yet remain mostly unaggressive!