Belize’s population of endangered West Indian manatees, often referred to as the country’s gentle marine giants, is poised to receive critical new support from a purpose-built rescue and rehabilitation facility that is approaching the finish line of construction.
The project, led by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, broke ground nearly two years ago, and after months of planning and construction, the new marine rescue and education center is finally nearing completion. In an interview with local outlet News Five, Jamal Galvez, director of the institute, shared detailed updates on the facility’s progress and outlined its far-reaching mission to protect Belize’s vulnerable marine wildlife.
Unlike previous limited care options in the region, this new center will have the capacity to treat a wide range of distressed marine animals, including injured or orphaned manatees of all ages—from vulnerable small calves to full-grown adults—as well as sick or injured sea turtles. Built to meet the strict animal care standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture, the state-of-the-art facility can house up to 12 manatees at any given time, a massive expansion of local care capacity. Galvez emphasized that the project was designed from the start to deliver high-quality, accessible care, filling a critical gap in Belize’s marine conservation infrastructure.
A key advantage of the center’s strategic location is its proximity to the regions where most human-related manatee incidents occur. The majority of manatee strandings, injuries, and emergencies are concentrated around Belize City and the Placencia peninsula. Following the recent paving of Belize’s Coastal Road, the new facility is reachable within an hour from these high-incident zones, drastically cutting down response time and improving the odds of survival for injured animals that require urgent care.
Beyond its core rescue, rehabilitation and release mission, the center is also designed to serve as a public education hub. The facility is fully open to local communities and visitors alike, inviting Belizeans of all ages to engage with marine conservation efforts. Just as the popular Belize Zoo has inspired generations of local children to learn about native wildlife, the new center aims to foster public awareness of manatees and the threats they face. For animals that cannot be released back into the wild due to permanent disabilities or health conditions that would prevent them from surviving independently, the center will also provide a permanent, lifelong care home.
The landmark conservation project is a collaborative effort, developed in partnership with the Belize Tourism Board, and the country’s Fisheries Department will maintain close ongoing cooperation with the center to support its operations and wildlife rescue work. This transcript is adapted from an original evening television broadcast published online.