Exploring Belize's Karst Environments

​

---

My B.Sc. student Jimmy is studying the human impacts on karst environments, specifically caves, for his senior thesis. I've had the opportunity to assist him with his fieldwork, in collaboration with the National Institute of Cultural Heritage. The following photos are from a recent trip to study a cave in Western Belize that is not open to the public to compare with tourist caves.

Above: Jimmy and Josue, from NICH, laying transect tape inside of the cave.

Above: Cave entrance (L); Jimmy taking notes outside of the cave (R).

Top row: Cave formations; Bottom row: Stalactites (R); Bat skull found on the floor of the cave (L) 

Top: Speleothems in the final cave chamber
Bottom row: Stalactites forming (L); Large speleothems (M); Going deeper into the cave (R)