“Riparian” is a great word. It sounds impressive and is fun to say.
Today we took a five-ish mile hike in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. This place is a big deal. To quote their website:
More than 80 species of mammals, two native species and several introduced species of fish, more than 40 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 100 species of breeding birds call the (San Pedro) river home. It also provides an invaluable habitat for 250 species of migrant and wintering birds and contains archaeological sites showing remnants of human occupation from 13,000 years ago.
Some years ago, Mary Anne and I took a jungle tour from Placencia, Belize to view howler monkeys, manatees, giant turtles, and some other exotic species. We saw none. Sometimes that’s the way it goes.
It went that way again today. Although the walk was interesting in a “take the Inland Highway” kind of way, we saw no creatures save a flock of birds that took off like fighter jets at our approach.
See what you make of this unusual country.
