Zoo New England has partnered with the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE) since 2019 to protect the critically endangered Central American river turtle — known locally as the Hicatee. Over the years, our collaboration has included staff trips to southern Belize, health assessments at the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center (HCRC), and wild population surveys. But conservation is about more than individual animals — it’s about investing in the people who will carry this work forward. That’s why Zoo New England co-sponsored a scholarship for Belizean students pursuing studies in natural resources. We’re thrilled to share a reflection from one of those scholars: Ozwaldo Coh.
Ozwaldo is an undergraduate student in Natural Resource Management at Independence Junior College in southern Belize. Thanks to a scholarship co-sponsored by Zoo New England and BFREE, he was able to continue his studies — and then take things one step further with a month-long internship at the BFREE field station.
“My internship combined environmental conservation, scientific research, and hands-on fieldwork. From the very first day, I was thrown into activities that immediately improved my abilities, expanded my knowledge of sustainable methods, and closely matched my career objectives of working in environmental and animal management.”
Ozwaldo spent his days feeding Hicatees at the research center, maintaining the facility’s ponds, and assisting international veterinarians and biologists with health assessments: weighing turtles, measuring carapace length, scanning PIT tags. The work was physically demanding — long days in hot, wet, and muddy conditions — but he describes it as some of the most formative time of his life.
“This experience strengthened my practical skills, improved my technical abilities and gave me a deeper respect for the connection between people, wildlife, and the environment,” he wrote. “It confirmed my passion for environmental stewardship.”
Ozwaldo entered the program already interested in science; he came out with a much sharper sense of direction:
“I realized that I wanted to pursue my studies in conservation and extend my knowledge into more wildlife biology, restoring biodiversity, and environmentally friendly farming practices… my current objective is to seek further education and training in order to make a vital contribution to the mission of BFREE and related conservation programs in Belize or other countries.”
At Zoo New England, we believe that the future of hicatee conservation — and conservation writ large — depends on empowering local voices and building local capacity. Ozwaldo’s story is exactly the kind of outcome we hoped for when we co-sponsored this scholarship, and we look forward to watching his career unfold.
We’re grateful to BFREE for making this internship possible, and most of all to Ozwaldo for sharing his experience with us.
Want to support Zoo New England’s international conservation partnerships? Consider joining our Conservation Society or making a donation.
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