Belize Launches National Action Plan to Protect Critically Endangered Hicatee

BELMOPAN, Belize – Belize has launched the five-year Hicatee Conservation and Action Plan establishing a coordinated national framework for the long-term conservation and recovery of one of the world’s most endangered freshwater turtles.

Hicatee (File Photo)The initiative is being undertaken by the Belize government through the Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Conservation (MBEMC) and the Belize Fisheries Department (BFiD).

The plan focuses on the conservation, management, and protection of the Central American River Turtle (Dermatemys mawii), known locally as the Hicatee or Tortuga Blanca. The species is classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is recognized as one of the 25 most endangered turtle species in the world.

Developed through a collaborative process involving the BFiD, the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE), the Turtle Survival Alliance, Zoo New England, and other key stakeholders, the plan provides a roadmap for ensuring viable, self-sustaining Hicatee populations throughout Belize.

The 2026–2031 plan establishes eight conservation goals supported by 58 actions, addressing key priorities including stronger enforcement and regulatory frameworks; public awareness; habitat protection and restoration; population research and monitoring; captive management and reintroduction; and greater community participation in the conservation and sustainable management of the species.

Among the principal threats identified are illegal and unsustainable harvesting, habitat loss and degradation, riparian deforestation, wetland drainage, and pollution of aquatic ecosystems.

The government said addressing these pressures will require coordinated action across several areas including conservation organizations, researchers, and communities.

“The launch of the Hicatee Conservation and Action Plan 2026–2031 represents an important step in Belize’s continued efforts to protect its biodiversity while strengthening the ecosystems and communities that depend upon healthy freshwater resources,”  the government added.