Although I am a biologist, if a few years ago you had shown me a picture of a tapir, I would have guessed that it was either an elephant, an anteater, or maybe even a pig. Probably like you, I would never have been exposed to these amazing animals if it wasn’t for a series of trips to Belize as part of our edventures with my partners at Inspire EdVentures.
Fast forward a decade, and multiple trips to Belize and the experience to meet with some of the experts in that country on tapirs. And of course, they are the experts, because not only are they the national animal of this amazingly independent small country, but they serve an important role in the ecology of the rainforest.
This year, however, our friends at the Belize Zoo have been especially hard hit by the travel restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting loss of tourist revenue. At Inspire EdVentures we conducted dozens of virtual tours for corporate and educational groups.
To help the tapirs at the Belize Zoo, we have committed up to $3,000 US in matching funds to support the Tapir Conservation Project. So, for every donation that is made to support the tapirs this summer, we will match it 1 for 1!
But here is where it gets interesting! Due to the exchange rate between the United States and Belize, every US dollar is equal to 2 dollars in Belize. So if you make a $25 contribution, it is the same as donating $100 in local currency. And that money will go a long way to support this program. In this campaign, with your support, we should be able to build hurricane shelters for two of the tapirs in the Belize Zoo – Tambo and Marchismo!
Below is a link to my interview with Jamal Andrewin-Bohn, the Conservation Program Manager at the Zoo. Jamal is the guide for our virtual tours of the Zoo, and as always, he does a much better job explaining the need than I do.
Want to help make a difference? Then check out the link below at Inspire EdVentures, and consider donating or even adopting a tapir at the Belize Zoo. Better yet, contact me about how you can join us on a future trip to this amazing country!
- Tapir Conservation Campaign with Inspire EdVentures
For more information on how you can set up a virtual tour of the Belize Zoo with me:
If you would like to learn more, or have me as a guest on your nature or wildlife podcast, contact me at [email protected]
