Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Introduction

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the Stann Creek District of south-central Belize. It was established to protect the forests, fauna and watersheds of an approximately 400 square kilometres area of the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains. The reserve was founded in 1990 as the first wilderness sanctuary for the Jaguar (Panthera onca) and is regarded as a premier site for Jaguar preservation in the world.

The name Cockscomb derives from the appearance of the Cockscomb Mountain ridge, that resembles a rooster's comb, which is situated at the northern fringe of the reserve and which is easily visible from the coastal plain of the Caribbean Sea. Habitation by the ancient Mayas occurred in the Cockscomb Basin as early as 10,000 BCE. However, the first modern exploration in recorded history of the basin did not occur until 1888.

Geography

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is actually comprised by two adjacent geographic basins. The West Basin is drained by the Swasey Branch, which is one of the main tributaries to the Monkey River. The East Basin consists of the upper watershed of South Stann Creek. The West Basin, being more difficult to access given distance from trailheads and higher forest density, is as of the current time still relatively unexplored from the standpoint of species mapping, Mayan ruins and other environmental details

The reserve is generally lozenge shaped spanning an east west dimension of approximately 36 kilometres and a north south dimension of approximately 14 kilometres. Elevation extremes are 50 metres above sea level in the lower reaches of South Stann Creek to 1,160 metres atop Victoria Peak.

The West Basin is bounded by the ridge of the Maya Mountains on the west, Cockscomb Mountains on the north, a prominent transverse ridge of the Maya Mountains at the south (of about elevation 1,000 metres) and a low lying north-south ridge at the east, which separates the West from East Basin. The Swasey Branch exits through the south transverse range via a deep 300-metre gorge. The East Basin is also bounded on the north by the namesake Cockscomb ridge, to the west by the low lying north south ridge separating the two basins, to the east by Cabbage Haul Ridge and to the south by Stann Creek Ridge. South Stann Creek flows out of the East Basin on the south in a meandering gentle gradient that was easily navigated by the British explorers in the 1880s.

The site consists of two distinct adjacent watersheds and is accessible via a low intensity trail system to accommodate visitors and research environmental scientists.

Sights and Activities

There are several waterfalls, which make popular hiking destinations. There is also an airplane crash site.

There are also several well-marked walking trails, of varying levels of difficulty, from one hour strolls to a 4-day challenging trail to Victoria Peak (dry season only, guide required).

Getting There

The entrance is 10 kilometres from the paved Southern Highway, on a well-maintained dirt road. Turn west at Maya Center.

Sleep

There is a campground (non-powered), or basic overnight accommodation in cabins or dormitories (self-cook).

External Links