An Update: Calvin’s Green Iguana Sanctuary in Downtown San Pedro
On May 27th, 2023 I wrote a post about one of San Pedro’s most popular tourist attractions: The Future Of Calvin’s Green Iguana Sanctuary is in Peril. Calvin and his protected green iguanas, located right in the middle of busy San Pedro, were being asked to move. A monumentally difficult and expensive, if not impossible, task.
The situation: The Belize Electric Company holds the title to the lagoon and mangroves which Calvin cleaned, maintained and then painstakingly built the very popular attraction for locals and visitors – the Green Iguana Eco-Park. An area that is now the home to hundreds of (often hunted) green iguanas.
Thousands of you read the post, shared the post, and left scores of comments.
I’ve been getting so many questions – Is there an update?!
So I stopped by to chat with Calvin and…while there is no definitive solution, things are moving in a positive direction.
Yes – you read that correctly…things look positive!
Calvin had a meeting with BEL – he showed them what he has done with the property and the iguanas and the visitors’ logs and comments and…thinks there could be an agreement that will work out for everyone. Including all of us who have visited the park and been awed by these gorgeous, prehistoric reptiles.
Here are some photos – taken by my friend Mike a few weeks ago…and while things are not yet finalized. We have reason to hope…thank you all SO much for the letters and comments and positive vibes sent…keep sending them!
Thank you all! And…if you have not visited – check out my information with a map so you can find it in this post. It’s a must-visit in San Pedro!
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EXCELLENT NEWS. Thanks for the update.
It feels good to see that sometimes news is good! We get bombarded with so much of the opposite. Makes my week.
Great news – awesome place
Hopefully great news, thanks for the update. We love that place and what he has done.
So happy to hear some great news
Great News so HAPPY FOR EVERYBODY~ especially Calvin and the Iguana’s!! Great job everybody for pitching in and helping out~ The pictures are so great….Thank you!
Aren’t they beautiful!?
That is wonderful to hear and I hope it continues in the same positive direction toward resolution. Calvin is doing more than safeguarding and educating about iguanas; he is preserving a part of Ambergris’ heritage and creating a legacy for future generations of how to take initiative and care for creation. We always stop by when we come to San Pedro and are delighted that we will be able to continue doing so!
Yes! Spread kindness and care for the environment…all the good stuff that will keep this island going strong.
Hi There,Read all your stories,I love belize.I have stayed in Caya Caulker a few times,love it there but wanted to stay somewhere else,a nice clean place with beach ,fishing and alittle away from main town,can you recommend any where?? Im looking to travel from baltimore dec 21-31 2023 Thanks
I was just there last month and they now have a restaurant on the property.
Food is amazing local Belizean cuisine.
I haven’t tried yet but the menu looks sooo tasty.
Thanks for the update!!
So happy to hear this updated information. I hope it continues to move in a positive direction for Calvin, the iguanas, and everyone who loves to visit this amazing place
All fingers crossed over here 🙂
We visit and donate every trip – it gets more awesome every time we do.
Hooray! That’s amazing.
Good news. I will be bringing a group of folks to visit this park in January. Support the Eco Park!
When I was there last week, there were 3 small groups…very encouraging!
Thank you for the encouraging update. This is so exciting!
It really is…unexpected and awesome.
This is wonderful news! Thank you for the update — I’ve been so concerned. Calvin’s iguana sanctuary is amazing, irreplaceable, unique — and one of our very favorite things (and there are many!) about San Pedro town.
This is awesome news!!! We need to keep this sanctuary not just for visitors but for the well being of these creatures that Calvin has dedicated his life to.
Thank you for the update and congrats on your Citizenship
I’m going to try to go register for my voting card today 🙂
Thank you Calvin and thank you Belize Electric Company for allowing this wonderful sanctuary to continue in this wonderful spot. It’s truly a must visit sanctuary in San Pedro!
Also a shout out to the San Pedro Scoop for the updates.
We visited the sanctuary in 2021 after having lived on AC for 4 months. It was eye opening even after we had lived with these dinosaurs in our midst. It is a great sanctuary and attraction for people to learn about and observe these amazing creatures. BEL has a bad reputation for not respecting the nature and natural resources of its own country ( citing The Last Flight of the Scarlett Macaw) and BEL should be ashamed of themselves for imposing on Calvin and this sanctuary. Hopefully someone with some influence will step in and put BEL in its place.
LOVE the iguana farm! Took the entire family there last week. The 3 year-olds and five year-olds were fascinated. Cannot lose this treasure!