A Night in the Jungle of Belize

If you are lucky enough to stay overnight in the Jungle areas of Belize you will have an experience to remember. There is drama in the jungle and you will have a premium place from which to listen. After a long day in the warm sun, whether you have spent the day carefully excavating an […] The post A Night in the Jungle of Belize appeared first on Toucan Education Programs Belize Blog.

Time for sleep, the now gentle rhythm of the jungle sound lures you to sleep, but not quite yet, it is still a new environment for you, turn out the lantern and the glow of the crescent moon flickers among the leaves.

Sleep comes for a while but something wakes you, a distant sound that you heard but only once, you stir, briefly thinking of the day. The moon has long since set, the mood has changed, darkness only eased by the stars.

Again the sound, what was that! A distant growl, stay still and listen, a growl again, an echo or different sound, steadily grows louder, closer, a little scary, especially when you don’t know what it is. As it gets closer you realize it is from the tree canopy, three, four individuals, you hear branches moving, something drops onto the thatch roof. Now the volume is at its peak, right overhead, at last you remember what you were told, the Howler monkey, calling out to all around, they can be heard 5 miles away and they are there, right above you, wow.

Now that is a sound to remember. They pass over, announcing their arrival to other inhabitants of the jungle in the distance. The sound fades, the gentle rhythm of the insects takes over allowing sleep again. Later as dawn approaches you are gently woken up by the melodious warbling of a multitude of colorful birds.