A Tapir – related to the horse and rhino, not the anteater…I’m choosing to think of it as a moose cousin.

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The leaf-cutter ant.  There are clear trails where they operate – almost like our highways.  They take the leaves back to feed a fungus, which they then eat – ant agriculture!

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We were told by two different people that this is a fer-de-lance snake, the most poisonous and deadly snake in Belize.  It appeared one night as I was closing the front door to our Airbnb in the dark.  Thankfully I was swinging the door from the other side, otherwise I might have had a rather close encounter…:O

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Giant grasshopper in the window of a restaurant – Melanie’s hand for reference.

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A wild Melanie goes for a swim in the Mopan river.  Along with some minnows that were furiously trying to stay in place by swimming against the strong currents…insert metaphor here.  (MESSAGE!)

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I don’t know who was more delighted here – the black howler monkey eating his banana treat, or Melanie.  Their hands are very soft, and the baby would hang on for a while while he chewed.  It was pretty neat.

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We visited an iguana conservation project in San Ignacio.  The iguanas were relatively cuddly, as they go – although Melanie did get some scratch marks from those tree-climbing claws.

We’re the Sam and Dave of the iguana world.  A dynamic duo.

Somewhat less delighted by the iguana than the monkey was Melanie.  Although the monkey, to be fair, did not get onto her neck.

My toes are not leaves!  Do not eat!

The memeguana!  It’s a thing (I just invented).