Protected Ocelot Killed on Highway Sparks Conservation Concern

An ocelot, one of the five species of wildcats found in Belize, was killed after being hit by a car on the Thomas Vincent Ramos Highway this morning. Ocelots are among the species protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, Chapter 220 of the Laws of Belize, making it an offence to kill them. Rangers from the Ya’axché Conservation Trust arrived around 5:30 to find the carcass of the ocelot not far from the organization’s field station within the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve. The rangers removed the body from the scene and then called in the Forest Department, which will conduct an assessment of the carcass. Elizabeth Dorgay, Science Director at the Ya’axché Conservation Trust, said that the incident, and others like it, contribute to biodiversity loss in Belize. Marvin Vasquez, Operations Director for the Trust, says that the area is hazardous for animals as drivers are prone to speeding.

Vasquez conceded that there are no lights in the area, making visibility an issue, particularly at night. He added that considerations are being made to upgrade the signage in the area.