Study Site:

 

• Belize is located on the eastern coast of Central America, bordered on the north by Mexico, south and west by Guatemala, and on the east by the Caribbean Sea.

 

 

• Belize was formerly British Honduras, gained independence in 1981.

 

 

• Approximately 63% of the mainland is forested, and 43% of the land is still uninhabited by humans (Foster et al. 2014).

 

 

• 17% of the mainland is legally protected against wildlife extraction (Foster et al. 2014).

 

 

• Belize is the least populated country in Central America (avg 14 people/sq.km), however, population growth rate in rural areas is 2.3% per year, the fastest in Central America (Foster et al. 2014).

 

 

• Estimated human population size of approximately 341 thousand.