Wildlife Health, Ecology and Conservation

The only thing I can imagine that would make this better is if it was longer! In two weeks you just get comfortable and then you want to stay! Our guide was the best staff member ever - always checking up on us while our instructor was an inspiration of a selfless life dedicated to conservation. My favorite activity was the spay & neuter clinic and the enrichment projects!

This was just a great opportunity - especially the spay and neuter clinics - those I would never have been able to experience like that in the US. We had such a great driver and guide and our instructor was such a good teacher and very passionate about conservation in Belize. There's nothing I would change!

I have so many highlights from this program - snorkeling, the zoo, enrichment projects, the necropsy, body scans, volunteering at the vet clinic. I liked this program so much and wouldn't change a thing. And we had such great staff with us from beginning to end.

Swimming in the river was my favorite - such a great way to bond with the group and relax. Our leader made the trip really interesting and even our driver was a lot of fun and put up with our shenanigans. I wouldn't change anything!

Belize was the first time I left my home in New Jersey and I am so grateful that it was with my CELA group. This program taught me so much about conservation and I was able to grow a deeper passion for wildlife. The people that I have met here and the lessons I learned will stay with me forever! Thank you CELA!

My program was amazing from seeing first hand how the staff work with wildlife to seeing their daily life on the job. It was really something not everyone gets to see! It's great to see how much people care for their animals. Our instructor was the bomb.com and without her it wouldn't have been the same!

Our leaders were both amazing, fun, engaging, and made every activity a great learning experience. The best parts were suturing and necropsies and also enrichment because I made connections with my animals. Oh and cave tubing and snorkeling because that's really when I made lifelong friends!

I found our trip to Runaway Creek really amazing. Not only was it absolutely beautiful but the staff created amazing bonds with all the students and being able to walk through an area without anything manmade is truly amazing. Every single one of the staff was amazing and all the tours were absolutely phenomenal.

The wildlife hikes and exploring the land all these people work so hard to conserve and protect was one of the best parts. It really made the connection between us humans and the wildlife. Everyone at the Tropical Education Center, the Belize Zoo, and our leaders really made everyone feel involved and kept us really engaged. This place is magical and more people need to experience it! :)

The best part was going to Placencia and bonding with everyone in the group. I also really enjoyed the suture activity - so fun! Every staff I encountered made me feel special. This program is amazing and I do not even have any changes I'd suggest. CELA Belize is a great program and even the food is soo good!

Jane our leader made the experience great and took care of us. Everyone else was friendly and accommodating and all the guest lectures were amazing. The best part was the monkey sanctuary, going behind the scenes at the Belize Zoo, snorkeling on the beach trip, and the spay-neuter trip. I really got to experience Belize and the wildlife there.

This opportunity not only gave me not only gave me an amazing educational experience, providing me with knowledge and skills regarding the animals I worked with, different methods of practice, and hands-on training I would never otherwise have learned, but it also gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in a different culture, giving a completely rounded sense of education. It was amazing and I loved every second. I enjoyed it so much and made so many friends along the way that I definitely intend to return!

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The CELA Belize was really an extraordinary experience, from the way they teach, to the people their culture and the wonders of Belize itself. The Wildlife Health, Ecology and Conservation course, was my first class abroad and as much as I was nervous about it, the program totally exceeded my expectations. Their teaching strategies are totally effective, the curriculum is composed of short lectures, lot of field work, and field trips . It's honestly the best way to use what you learned in class out in the field. But also the instructors and the people that work with CELA are just amazing, nothing is more exciting to watch how people love and are passionate for what they do. The love they have for Belize and what they are willing to do, is just mesmerizing! The program not only helped me understand the importance of nature and its conservation, but it opened my eyes to whole new options career wise. I think we need more people to study, fight and teach for our biodeversity and its conservation.

Very friendly people. It was so much fun to visit that country! Jane was so sweet and patient with us. I didn’t know what to expect! It was eye opening seeing how the animals live in BELIZE and how the people are so nice to them.

I took Wildlife Health, Ecology and Conservation course in Belize in the summer. I liked the course curriculum. Every day we had different activities. I gained a lot of valuable experience and knowledge.

Overall, my experience in the wildlife course was fair, but I have to admit that I wish more about housing and amenities were disclosed to me prior to registering for the course. The cabins were fairly spacious, but the lack of air conditioning (i.e. just having fans), amount of insects, and cost of laundry services should have been mentioned just so that students are aware of the adjustments they need to make for the next few weeks and plan accordingly. I really enjoyed the field work and getting to tour the zoo multiple times in order to study the animals and construct an enrichment project for them, and learning all about the various organizations in Belize devoted to conservation was a truly rewarding experience. I have had the opportunity to get more up close and personal with the animals during those two weeks than I ever would have been able to in the States, and it has truly shown me what it means to work with wildlife and it is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. All in all, I would still highly recommend taking this course for anyone interested in wildlife ecology or veterinary medicine as you get a chance to experience both in so many fun ways.

The bio-diverse location and bird sung mornings were among my favorite experiences at the T.E.C. The simple living brings out the best of my stories there. I really loved the staff, environment, and the small luxuries offered. Unfortunately, this sort of setting was not the best for everyone. Specifically those without comfort in an outside living experience. As it can be rigid, outdoorsy, and definitely itchy for those not prepared.

CELA gives their students a genuine experience that includes activities that most people never get to do. The beind the scenes look at Belizian culture, conservation, and the Natonal Zoo was priceless.

I loved this program! It was such a unique opportunity, I loved that it challenged me academically and personally, pushing me out of my comfort zone and allowing me to see the beautiful country of Belize and all that it has to offer.

This experience was everything I could have asked for. Very hands on and allowed me to learn more about conservation and the jobs related to it. It also opened my eyes to other cultures. I also made friends for life in this course.