Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the Stann Creek District of south-central Belize. It was established to protect the forests, fauna and watersheds of an approximately 400 square kilometres (150 sq mi) area of the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains.
| Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Waterfall in a tributary of South Stann Creek in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary | |
Location of Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in Belize | |
| Coordinates | 16.7162°N 88.6608°W |
| Area | 353.36 km2 (136.43 sq mi) |
| Designation | Wildlife sanctuary |
| Designated | 1984 |
| Operator | Belize Forest Department/Belize Audubon Society |
The reserve was established in 1986 as the first protected area for protection of the jaguar (Panthera onca). It is regarded as a premier site for jaguar preservation in the world.
The name 'Cockscomb' derives from the appearance of the Cockscomb Mountain ridge, that resembles a rooster's comb, which is situated at the northern fringe of the reserve and which is easily visible from the coastal plain of the Caribbean Sea. Habitation by the ancient Mayas occurred in the Cockscomb Basin as early as 10,000 BCE. However, the first modern exploration in the recorded history of the basin did not occur until 1888.