Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

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Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Map of Belize
Location	Belize
Coordinates	17°43′26″N 88°32′35″W / 17.724°N 88.543°W / 17.724; -88.543[1]
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Designated	22 April 1998
Reference no.	946[2]

Crooked Tree Wild Life Sanctuary (CTWS) is a protected area in Belize. It is recognized as a Wetland of International Importance. It was designated as a waterfowl habitat on April 22, 1998, under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. During Belize's dry season many resident and migratory birds find refuge in the lagoons. The sanctuary contains 16,400 acres (6,600 ha) of lagoons, creeks, log wood swamps, broad leaf forest and pine savanna, home to hundreds of species of wildlife. The sanctuary protects globally endangered species including the Central American river turtle (locally known as hicatee), Mexican black howler monkey, and yellow-headed parrot.^[3]

The Jabiru stork is Crooked Tree's most famous resident. Belize has the largest nesting population of these great birds in all of Central America. Jabiru storks arrive in November to nest in the lowland pine savannas. Two pairs of Jabiru storks are known to nest within the Sanctuary. After the young fledge, in April and May, the birds from the northern and central parts of Belize congregate at Crooked Tree Lagoons. When the rains come, the birds leave to return again the following November.^[3]