A day for the road. We said goodbye to LCRS at 7 am, loading our luggage into the back of our van. On the road for four hours, we drove past the expansive rainforest and the pale pine ridges. And then, it was time to go to Actun Tunkul Macal, one of the most iconic caverns in Belize. 

This was by far one of the most interesting experiences I have ever had. After walking through different rivers (couldn’t part them, unfortunately), we finally made it to what seemed to be a nondescript hole. Yet, characteristic of many caves, the inside was humongous, magnitudes larger than what the entrance showed. We walked through channels upon channels, glittering with alluvial deposits in the form of stalagmites, stalactites, and travertines. Walking around columns and into underground rivers, it was like watching all my research on my topic lecture (Life in Caves) come to life. The limestone caves still dripped mineral, and curtains upon curtains of formations adorned the chambers. Gradients of limestone, from gray to brown, showcased the timeline of formation, and striations marked the water table from seasons before. From flowstone formations and bellholes, to cave windows and precarious rock structures, the caves in and off themselves had much to uncover. Interestingly, iron is highly concentrated in the caves as well, giving areas of rock a distinct red-pink marbling. Researchers are slowly attempting to measure out these iron concentrations, though imaging may take a while given the magnetic methods these techniques utilize. (Spoiler: iron is super magnetic.)

With the various crevices and cracks, life was pretty hard, and pretty fun, to find. Bellholes were surrounded by bat guano, and roosting bats hid across various curtains. We also saw various cave insects and arachnids like spiders and crickets, alongside minnows at the entrance. Some people even saw a cave crab and some catfish–so jealous! And plant saplings grew from bat guano, although given the intense darkness of the caves, who knows how long they will grow for? My favorite evidence of life had to be the ancient Maya pottery and remains though, indicative of a history of rituals. What do people do when they’re desperate? They pray. And as droughts occurred, the Maya retreated further and further into the caves, mapping out areas to perform rituals as evidenced by the remains left over. Seeing these artifacts in their last-used environment definitely added so much more context and depth. Across our tour, Dr. Rafael, our guide, explained so much about the theories that are being used to explain findings around the cave. Having such a knowledgeable guide, who’d worked so much in the cave system really made the experience so much better.

And lastly, another few hours later, we drove to the Belizean Tropical Education Center. We got to see a variety of nocturnal wildlife, including jaguars, tiger cats, pacas, and more. As we went along, we got to see so many interesting things. We even got to feed some of the animals like the Beird’s Tapir, which was really really cute. All animals from the zoo are rescued or unable to return to the wild, making it important that they are taken care of well. It was a testament to the wildlife that remains in Belize, and a reminder of what could be lost if we don’t feed our hungry animals.

Fungi–none today, but we’re transitioning to parrotfish, so stay tuned!