Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

🇧🇿 Belize

🐒 Jaguar and Howler Monkey Basin

⏱ 2–3 days 🥾 Moderate trails

🌍 #116 Global · 3.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #23 in Central America #56 in Tropical Forest

Stann Creek, Belize 860 spp. recorded

Cockscomb was the first protected area in the world created for jaguars, and they are still here: recorded on about one visit in five, mostly as tracks on the trails at first light.

16.749° N 88.671° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Jaguar

Panthera onca

10–20% · Possible

Mexican Black Howler Monkey

Alouatta pigra

30–40% · Possible

Baird's Tapir

Tapirella bairdii

20–30% · Possible

Keel-billed Toucan

Ramphastos sulfuratus

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Spot-breasted Wren

Pheugopedius maculipectus

70–80% · Very likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

60–70% · Likely

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

60–70% · Likely

Brown Basilisk

Basiliscus vittatus

60–70% · Likely

Social Flycatcher

Myiozetetes similis

60–70% · Likely

White-collared Manakin

Manacus candei

50–60% · Likely

Melodious Blackbird

Dives dives

50–60% · Likely

Gray Catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

50–60% · Likely

Short-billed Pigeon

Patagioenas nigrirostris

50–60% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

50–60% · Likely

Black-headed Trogon

Trogon melanocephalus

50–60% · Likely

White-breasted Wood-Wren

Henicorhina leucosticta

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Jaguar

Panthera onca

10–20% · Possible

Mexican Black Howler Monkey

Alouatta pigra

30–40% · Possible

Baird's Tapir

Tapirella bairdii

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Central American Red Brocket

Mazama temama

30–40% · Possible

White-nosed Coati

Nasua narica

20–30% · Possible

Kinkajou

Potos flavus

20–30% · Possible

Deppe's Squirrel

Sciurus deppei

20–30% · Possible

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

10–20% · With luck

Dicotyles tajacu

Pecari tajacu

Insufficient data

Northern Tamandua

Tamandua mexicana

0–10% · With luck

Ocelot

Leopardus pardalis

Insufficient data

Greater Spear-nosed Bat

Phyllostomus hastatus

Insufficient data

Mexican Mouse Opossum

Marmosa mexicana

Insufficient data

Desmarest's Spiny Pocket Mouse

Heteromys desmarestianus

Insufficient data

West Indian Manatee

Trichechus manatus

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Keel-billed Toucan

Ramphastos sulfuratus

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Spot-breasted Wren

Pheugopedius maculipectus

70–80% · Very likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

60–70% · Likely

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

60–70% · Likely

Social Flycatcher

Myiozetetes similis

60–70% · Likely

White-collared Manakin

Manacus candei

50–60% · Likely

Melodious Blackbird

Dives dives

50–60% · Likely

Gray Catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

50–60% · Likely

Short-billed Pigeon

Patagioenas nigrirostris

50–60% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

50–60% · Likely

Black-headed Trogon

Trogon melanocephalus

50–60% · Likely

White-breasted Wood-Wren

Henicorhina leucosticta

50–60% · Likely

Clay-colored Thrush

Turdus grayi

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Brown Basilisk

Basiliscus vittatus

60–70% · Likely

Middle American Ameiva

Holcosus festivus

40–50% · Likely

Red Coffee Snake

Ninia sebae

40–50% · Likely

Yucatán Banded Gecko

Coleonyx elegans

30–40% · Possible

Helmeted Iguana

Corytophanes cristatus

20–30% · Possible

Belize Crocodile

Crocodylus moreletii

Insufficient data

Kinosternon lecustomum

Kinosternon leucostomum

20–30% · Possible

Blunthead Tree Snake

Imantodes cenchoa

20–30% · Possible

Hernandez’s Helmeted Basilisk

Corytophanes hernandesii

20–30% · Possible

Central American Boa

Boa imperator

Insufficient data

Mesoamerican Slider

Trachemys venusta

20–30% · Possible

Cloudy Snail-eating Snake

Sibon nebulatus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Central American Gulf Coast Toad

Incilius valliceps

30–40% · Possible

Giant Marine Toad

Rhinella horribilis

20–30% · Possible

Mexican Smilisca

Smilisca baudinii

Insufficient data

Yellow Treefrog

Dendropsophus microcephalus

Insufficient data

Long-Legged Streamfrog

Craugastor sabrinus

Insufficient data

Mexican Mushroomtongue Salamander

Bolitoglossa mexicana

Insufficient data

Vaillant's Frog

Lithobates vaillanti

10–20% · With luck

Julian's Frog

Lithobates juliani

Insufficient data

Stauffer's Tree Frog

Scinax staufferi

Insufficient data

Rufescent Salamander

Bolitoglossa rufescens

Insufficient data

Elegant Narrow-mouthed Toad

Gastrophryne elegans

Insufficient data

Harlequin Treefrog

Dendropsophus ebraccatus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐆

Jaguars and Tapirs on the Trails

MayOct

Jaguars and Baird's tapir leave tracks along the trails and river crossings, at their most recorded of the year.

Jaguar

Panthera onca

10–20% · Possible

Baird's Tapir

Tapirella bairdii

20–30% · Possible

🐒

Howlers and Coatis in the Dry Months

AprJul

Yucatán black howler troops call across the basin at dawn and coati bands work the forest floor.

White-nosed Coati

Nasua narica

20–30% · Possible

Mexican Black Howler Monkey

Alouatta pigra

30–40% · Possible

🐸

Frogs and Toads in the Rains

AprAugSep

Cane toads and Mexican tree frogs breed in every pool and call through the night.

Giant Marine Toad

Rhinella horribilis

20–30% · Possible

Mexican Smilisca

Smilisca baudinii

Insufficient data

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

10–20

0–10

<5

20–30

10–20

10–20

20–30

10–20

<5

20–30

20–30

10–20

Mexican Black Howler Monkey

30–40

30–40

30–40

10–20

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

20–30

0–10

20–30

20–30

10–20

20–30

20–30

10–20

30–40

10–20

30–40

10–20

0–10

0–10

20–30

20–30

Keel-billed Toucan

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

60–70

30–40

30–40

30–40

Spot-breasted Wren

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

40–50

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

30–40

50–60

60–70

80–90

40–50

70–80

70–80

20–30

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

Social Flycatcher

50–60

70–80

60–70

40–50

50–60

60–70

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

White-collared Manakin

40–50

60–70

70–80

60–70

30–40

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

Melodious Blackbird

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

10–20

0–10

0–10

10–20

10–20

50–60

80–90

70–80

Short-billed Pigeon

30–40

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

40–50

30–40

20–30

60–70

60–70

60–70

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

20–30

50–60

50–60

60–70

Black-headed Trogon

30–40

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

60–70

40–50

30–40

50–60

White-breasted Wood-Wren

30–40

60–70

30–40

40–50

30–40

50–60

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

Animal Events

🐆 Jaguars and Tapirs on the Trails

🐒 Howlers and Coatis in the Dry Months

🐸 Frogs and Toads in the Rains

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent

🐒 Jaguar and Howler Monkey Basin

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

535

🐒 Mammals

157

🦎 Reptiles

124

🐸 Amphibians

44

860 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

19 Threatened 69 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

3.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

58%

📊

Coverage (260 species at ≥5% of 860 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

30%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 reptile)

47% Global avg

20%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

169

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

19

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

25

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