Provision Tree

PROVISION TREE, Pachira aquatica, BOMBACEAE

Now that we are well into dry season (sort of like "spring" Belize-style), many plants are starting to blossom and the one pictured above is a favorite. The provision tree blossoms are spectacular, larger than your hand and very showy. The provision tree is most often found along waterways, swamps and wetlands. This particular tree was about 20' in height although provision trees can attain a maximum height of 60' or so. A large nut is produced that is evidently edible though we've never tried it. The nut is water dispersed and floats to a new location where it germinates. Many plants in Belize are considered to have medicinal value. In the case of the provision tree, it is thought that making a tea from its bark helps to build the blood.

The End of the Line

To the north and east of the Gallon Jug Estate lies the Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area (RBCMA), operated by the Programme for Belize (PfB). At 260,000 acres, it is roughly twice the size of the Gallon Jug Estate and encompasses a multitude of habitats. Over the years we've frequently partnered with PfB on conservation aims of mutual concern.

There are two field stations in RBCMA and recently we had the pleasure of staying at the Hillbank Field Station, only about 25 miles as the toucan flies from our house in Gallon Jug. Of course, as is so often the case in Belize, you "can't get there from here," so we headed north, then east, then south to reach it which took about 2 hours. If "Hillbank" sounds familiar from previous posts, it is because Hillbank was the "end of the line" for the logging railroad that began in Gallon Jug back in the day.

I've posted about the Hillbank road and our recent explorations over the past weeks of dry season (see post for 25 Feb. 2010). Beginning in the 1920's, the logs, mostly mahogany, went by narrow gauge rail from Gallon Jug to Hillbank. From Hillbank, situated on the New River Lagoon, they were floated to the coast and then to Belize City.

Besides launching a bat acoustic survey pilot project, it was of great interest to revisit this old logging center, now a field station, operated by PfB. Other than a comfortable new dorm, most of the original wood buildings from the logging days are still in use. We were surprised and pleased to meet an old friend, Gustavo, from our Caracol field work days in the late '80's, early '90's. An accomplished bushman who has lived and worked in many bush situations, Gustavo delighted in sharing with us some of the old logging equipment scattered around in the forest (pictured above), remnants of the old logging days.

Hillbank Road Result: a Jaguar

When we set up the camera trap on the Hillbank road by the old rail bridge a couple of weeks ago (see 25 February post), I mentioned we'd seen jaguar tracks. Maybe they belonged to this animal who was photo-captured in a series of 3 photos on 22 February 2010 at 1:11 in the morning.

This sort of head on, or three-quarter view, type of photo can be very difficult to match with database photos. A full-on side shot is much better to try and make a definitive match. The distance from the camera and infra-red are not ideal here either. Still, if we get more photos of this animal in the future, there will be more we can learn about it. By the stocky build, I would guess it is a male. No telling though without more photos.

A Female Great Curassow

We had a look at a couple of male curassows earlier, now here is the female. The Great Curassow (Crax rubra) is approximately turkey-sized. Unlike turkeys, however, the curassow is monogamous and has 2 chicks that both parents care for. The Ocellated Turkey often hatches a dozen or so chicks, not all of which survive, that the hen cares for solely.

The female Great Curassow is quite different from the male (see earlier post) being rufous, white and black with barring. There are two other color morphs, depending on location, in which the female has more black or rufous coloring respectively. Curassows are often seen along roadsides in the Gallon Jug Estate including Chan Chich Lodge. Again, this is a testament to the well enforced no-hunting practices on the property.

Another Great Bird

The Great Curassow (Crax rubra) is another heavily hunted species. It is found throughout Central and South America and is ranked "Near Threatened" (with recommendations to uplist to "Vulnerable") by IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, based in Switzerland. Being that this curassow is approximately turkey-sized and is often found on the ground, it evidently makes a good hunting target. The males (above) are handsomely marked in black, with white underparts. They have a low frequency booming call as well as a growling call which can be heard here.

The Great Curassow is frequently seen along roadsides in the Gallon Jug Estate. Depending on the time of year, it can be found in pairs and at other times, in rather large flocks. Sometimes it mingles with the Ocellated Turkeys. Its abundance on this property is a good testament to Gallon Jug Estate's protected status.

Puma on the prowl

This is a robust looking male puma (Puma concolor) on the Hillbank road where I've been running a camera trap near the lower escarpment. The location is about 5 km east of Gallon Jug farm and another approximately 10 km from Chan Chich Lodge. As I've mentioned before, it is difficult to tell individual pumas apart since their coat patterns aren't uniquely marked. Sometimes you can tell from scars or the amount of black on the tail tip. It is certainly possible, even likely, that this is the same male that was photo-captured at the Horse Trail intersection which is close to Gallon Jug Farm. Given that big cats, especially males, have big territories, it is entirely possible he visits Chan Chich Lodge from time to time.

Pumas or jaguars?

So do we have more pumas or jaguars here at Gallon Jug/Chan Chich? This is a question I've been asking myself recently. Pumas seem to be the most frequently photographed cat now, even more so than ocelots. And they seem to be photographed more frequently in low light situations that trigger the infra-red mode.

It would be easier to make a statement about puma numbers if individuals could be distinguished with any confidence, the way spotted cats can. My gut feeling is that the puma population has exploded, along with the white-tailed deer population in Gallon Jug near the farm.

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) thrive in the edge areas, between the farm and the forest. Pumas specialize in hunting deer while jaguars are more specialized for peccary. White-tailed deer are visible any time of day or night in Gallon Jug and often along the road edges at Chan Chich. And as many readers can attest, they've become pests in many places in north America, with no pumas or other predators to reduce their numbers.