Turtle Conservation
Andrew Choco Joins BFREE Full-time as Wildlife Fellow
Hey there! My name is Andrew Choco, and I am from Trio, a community adjacent to BFREE. I was raised in Bella Vista Village, where my connection with nature was somewhat limited. However, after watching documentaries on Animal Planet, my interest in the natural world was sparked. These programs ignited a deep passion for wildlife…
Read MoreA moment with Rachael Harff, Chelonian Keeper at the Turtle Survival Center
Q&A with Samih Young, BFREE Wildlife Education Fellow This summer, Samih Young and Rachael Harff got to know each other while participating in the Fourth Annual Turtle Survey of the BFREE Privately Protected Area. The survey is a collaboration between BFREE and Turtle Survival Alliance‘s Volunteer Research Team – also known as the North American…
Read More2025 Long-term Turtle Survey in the Jungle
July 6 – 16, 2025 Join the Belize Foundation for Research & Environmental Education (BFREE) and the Turtle Survival Alliance’s Volunteer Science Program to participate in a long-term population monitoring project for freshwater and terrestrial turtle species located within BFREE’s Privately Protected Area in southern Belize. The BFREE Privately Protected Area is a 1,153-acre reserve…
Read MoreCelebrating the 8th Annual Hicatee Awareness Month
Hicatee Awareness Month began in 2017 to draw attention to the status of Belize’s only critically endangered reptile, the Central American River Turtle locally called “Hicatee”. Eight years later, BFREE and our NGO international and local partners including Turtle Survival Alliance, Zoo New England, Belize Wildlife Referral Clinic, WCS Belize, Community Baboon Sanctuary and Savannah…
Read MoreBelize’s Turtles Educational Resources
Belize’s Mud Turtles
Belize is lucky to be home to both mud and musk turtles belonging to the Kinosternidae family. In science, a family is a group of related species that share similar traits. These traits can include their habitat or diet. The shared characteristics among these species indicate their close relationship, just like how family members at…
Read MoreStudent Advocate Workshops for Earth Day
As part of Earth Day festivities, Heather Barrett, Deputy Director, and Jaren Serano, Dermatemys Program Coordinator with the support of Wildlife Education Fellow, Samih Young, delivered workshops at Sacred Heart Junior College and University of Belize. Over 60 students in Natural Resource Management and Biology as well as four educators participated in the workshops held…
Read MoreIntroducing Samih Young – BFREE Wildlife Education Fellow
By Samih Young and Heather Barrett This month, Samih Young joined the team and is taking on a brand new role within the BFREE Science and Education Fellowship Program. She joins as the Wildlife Education Fellow and will be collaborating on outreach programming and communications while also supporting work taking place at the Hicatee Conservation…
Read MoreDisney Conservation Hero – Thomas Pop
BFREE and our international partner in turtle conservation, Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), are extremely proud to announce that Thomas Pop, manager of the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center was chosen as a Disney Conservation Hero. Tom has been recognized for over twelve years of tireless efforts to conserve the critically endangered Central American River Turtle,…
Read MoreHicatee Awareness Month Outreach Programs
The start of this October marked the beginning of the 7th annual Hicatee Awareness Month campaign. Kicking off this initiative, Barney Hall and I embarked on a journey to the western part of Belize, focusing our efforts on regions notorious for the harvesting of Hicatee turtles for consumption. Our initial step involved seeking permission from…
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