Shipstern

The Shipstern Conservation and Management Area extends across 21,500 acres, including seasonal forests, wetlands, and the large Shipstern Lagoon system.

The reserve originated in 1986 as a butterfly production center before transforming into a protected conservation area under the International Tropical Conservation Fund in 1989.

Local communities participate in conservation efforts through the Corozal Sustainable Future Initiative, which manages the reserve as an IUCN Category II national park.

Visitors can reach the reserve by taking a bus from Belize City to Orange Walk Town, followed by a one-hour drive to the entrance near Sarteneja village.

The reserve contains rare Pseudophoenix Palm dry coastal forest and houses all five cat species native to Belize within its boundaries.

Location: Corozal District

Inception: 1989

GPS coordinates: 18.31778,-88.19194

Latest update: March 2, 2025 21:20