We Had a Wild Time at The Belize Zoo’s Wild Tales Dinner
This June, the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center held their second Wild Tales Dinner fundraiser. The night was a magical one, filled with plenty of food, captivating stories, and even some close encounters with Belize’s wildlife, and The Belize Collection is proud to have been a part of it all. Missed this year’s event? Here’s a quick recap of the night.
A Night to Remember at The Belize Zoo
On Saturday, June 14th, over 125 nature and conservation enthusiasts came together to enjoy The Belize Zoo’s second-ever Wild Tales Dinner. The annual event serves as a fundraiser for the zoo. All its profits go towards the Sharon Matola Conservation Scholarship, which supports Belizean women pursuing higher education, particularly in conservation and environmental science. The evening was a perfect blend of entertainment and education, featuring live music (courtesy of Panerrifix Steel Band), raffles, and a silent auction.
Winning silent auction bidders and some lucky guests were able to walk away with an array of unique prizes, including dreamy resort stays and amazing experiences. One such prize was a two-night stay at The Lodge at Jaguar Reef.
In addition to providing a prize for the silent auction, The Belize Collection also provided catering for the night’s three-course dinner. After all, no Wild Tales Dinner would be complete without an exceptional meal. Serving as the kitchen for the night was none other than TBC’s recently debuted food truck. Meanwhile, the menu itself was curated by our very own Executive Chef, Chef Rahim, with each dish inspired by Belizean wildlife.
First, attendees were able to whet their appetites with a jungle canopy ceviche appetizer (complete with a side of plantain chips) and ducunu-inspired yellow corn bread. For the main course, options included a slow-cooked Belizean-spiced chicken (aptly dubbed Jungle Chicken), the Big Cat Catch—grilled lionfish served alongside rice and callaloo—and a vegetarian Jaguar Roots Bowl, featuring roasted root vegetables and wild black rice. For dessert, Wild Tapir Tarts (dark chocolate tarts) and Wild Craboo Flan were the stars of the show.
Woven throughout the three courses were the tales themselves, told by longtime friends of Sharon Matola and conservationists working adamantly to keep Belize wild. Guests heard Dr. Elizabeth Mallory’s pioneering research on scarlet macaws in Belize, gathered since 1993. The zoo took the time to award their own dedicated staff for their years of service, with local tapir researcher Dr. Celso Poot receiving recognition for 30 years of service to The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center. Guests also got to hear the stories of the previous two scholarship recipients, Lisette and Jocelyn, and saw this year’s award go to the third recipient ever: Berlyn Tut hailing from Big Falls, Toledo. The Belize Zoo was born out of Sharon Matola’s vision to provide a safe home to native animals used in a documentary, and the zoo quietly continues her legacy with every rescued animal they care for, and every woman supported by this scholarship.
After dinner, attendees had the chance to experience something truly special. Guided by the Zoo’s highly knowledgeable staff, attendees toured the zoo after dark, getting a glimpse at the nocturnal habits of local wildlife. While the zoo offers a magical experience during the day, experiencing it after dark is simply captivating. Attendees were able to witness some of the zoo’s residents at their most active. During the tour, they also had the chance to meet Grace, the adorable baby tapir that has been taking Belize by storm since being rescued from a wildfire. The night tour provided the perfect ending to an already memorable night, complementing the adventurous spirit of it all.
There’s Still Time to Support a Wild and Worthy Cause
While we all eagerly await the next Wild Tales Dinner, there are still plenty of ways to get involved with the Belize Zoo’s fundraising efforts. If you weren’t able to attend this year’s event, you can still support the amazing work of the zoo through donations. Every dollar goes directly toward feeding the animals, maintaining habitats, supporting zookeepers and staff, and expanding outreach to communities across Belize—like through the Sharon Matola Conservation Scholarship, for example. You can also show your support by paying the zoo a visit or by opting to adopt one of its many inhabitants.
Donations of any size make a difference in protecting wildlife and maintaining one of the country’s most cherished conservation landmarks. Click here to donate to the Best Little Zoo in the World!