February 2024.
Harvest Caye, Belize.

We always enjoy wildlife viewing on jungle cruises in Latin America, and our second jungle cruise in Belize was easily the best, thanks to the variety of wildlife we saw. Harvest Caye is Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) private island, a $50 million project that opened in 2016. We stopped there on our Caribbean itinerary early last year. We aren’t much for hanging out on the beach, so we chose a jungle cruise excursion that took us into the mouth of the Monkey River, and we even had a short hike into the jungle at our turnaround point before we headed back to the ship.

My opening photo shows the style of boat we were in. They are low on the water and have plenty of open space for viewing, even when fairly full of passengers. A long telephoto lens wasn’t necessary for most shots, as we could get close to shore during wildlife encounters.

We saw many birds along the way, and the sounds of the howler monkeys were everywhere. My only disappointment is that the monkeys were so high in the trees that they appeared to be “black blobs” in the photographs I captured. Even if I’d had a longer telephoto lens, the monkeys would have been difficult to photograph through the dense tree foliage. As compensation, we were presented with many bird species and other photographic opportunities.

Ospreys are common in Belize, especially near coastal areas, rivers, lagoons, and estuaries. They are perfectly adapted to the watery environments found throughout the country. We saw one high in a tree surveying its domain.

On the other end of the bird size scale, we spotted this yellow oriole on a branch along the shore. This species is primarily bright yellow over most of its body. It has a distinctive black mask that extends from the eye to the throat and upper breast. Critically, its tail is yellow (hence the name), often with some black on the central feathers or tips. Its wings are black with a prominent white bar. Another common resident of Belize is the Yellow-billed Oriole. The fact that the bill isn’t yellow and the tail has yellow feathers leads me to be pretty confident in my identification.

Like other basilisks, the Brown Basilisk is famous for its ability to run on water. When threatened, it can sprint upright across the surface of a pond or river for a short distance using its large hind feet and tail for balance. This feat is made possible by fringed scales on its toes that create a temporary air pocket, allowing it to stay afloat. It can reach up to 7.5 mph (12 km/h) on water.

That long tail is hard to see in the lizard’s full view. Here is the detail of its length. It starts at the left edge of the photo, just above the branch, curves upward, disappears under a leaf, and reappears, ending a short distance from the right edge of the image.

Here’s a closer look at the brown Basilisk’s head and body. They are found throughout Central America, including Belize, from southern Mexico to Colombia. They are almost always found in areas with water, such as rainforests, rivers, streams, and ponds.

Another variety of Basilisk we saw is the Common Basilisk. The easiest way to distinguish them from the brown Basilisk, especially adult males, is by their size and the number of crests. Common Basilisks are much more “crested” and often greener, while Brown Basilisks have subtler crests and tend to be more brownish-gray. The Common Basilisk employs the same specialized fringed toes and rapid leg movements to “slap” the water’s surface, creating air pockets that briefly support its weight. They then lift their foot before the pocket collapses, repeating the process in a rapid succession of steps.

According to Google’s AI, based on its appearance and location (Belize, especially river systems), this is likely a Morelet’s crocodile. They are exclusively found in freshwater habitats in Central America, including Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. They prefer swamps, marshes, rivers, lagoons, and freshwater lakes. I also asked Microsoft’s Copilot AI to confirm the identification. According to Copilot, the only other crocodile species in Belize is the American Crocodile, but it’s usually found in brackish waters along the coast. By the time of this sighting, we had already entered the freshwater river.

At the cruise midpoint, we docked and were led on a short hike into the jungle. Along the way, we had a few sightings of wildlife that I was able to photograph and share here.

Green Iguanas are native to Central and South America, including Belize. They are arboreal (tree-dwelling) and commonly found in rainforests, mangroves, and other areas with dense vegetation, often near water. Google AI also indicates that this specimen is male, primarily based on its prominently tall dorsal spines and broad head. Furthermore, a subtle reddish-orange tint is apparent around its head and shoulders, a coloration often more pronounced in males.

As we walked by a tree, a large leaf hanging just above eye level attracted my attention—or perhaps it was the big spider I saw. According to Google AI, these large, hairy spiders are typically docile. Despite their fearsome reputation, they play an essential role in the ecosystem as predators and are generally harmless to humans. Their venom is mild, similar to a bee sting. I’m not about to test Google on the strength of the venom, thank you very much.

On our walk, we were told about the money tree plant. Its common name comes from East Asian folklore, where it’s believed to bring good luck, prosperity, and financial success. This is particularly popular in Feng Shui.

After returning to the boat, we started back down the river to return to Harvest Caye. Along the way, we spotted an anhinga almost directly above us. I learned about anhingas in the Everglades, where they are also commonly found. As I noted in a Cellpic Sunday post here, the word “anhinga” comes from the Tupi language spoken by indigenous Brazilians and means “devil bird” or “snake bird.” This name perfectly captures the bird’s appearance as it swims through the water with only the head and neck visible.

As we neared the ocean, we saw more signs of habitation. A few houses and boats along the shoreline told us we weren’t isolated. I spotted an egret standing on a beached boat.

We saw many of these beautiful gray herons, mostly juveniles. Here’s the best photo I captured. Yellow-crowned Night Herons are strongly associated with coastal and wetland environments. They prefer saltwater and brackish habitats, such as mangrove swamps, salt marshes, estuaries, and tidal flats.

At one point, our tour guide spotted the bats on a nearby tree trunk and asked the driver to bring the boat closer while he explained them. Proboscis Bats are petite bats easily distinguished by their distinctive, elongated, and pointed “proboscis-like” nose. They commonly line up in small groups on exposed tree trunks or branches overhanging water, remaining motionless to blend in with their surroundings. They are widespread throughout Central and South America, including Belize.

Our last bit of land presented us with pelicans and an egret, saying “so long” before we headed into the open ocean on our way back to Harvest Caye and the Norwegian Breakaway.

After a memorable jungle cruise with probably the most wildlife photos I’ve captured on a cruise excursion, we returned to the Norwegian Breakaway in plenty of time to get ready for dinner.

I extensively used Google Gemini’s AI to help identify the wildlife I photographed, and I cross-checked with Microsoft Copilot when the identification seemed incorrect. If you find any issues with my identifications, please comment.

John Steiner