A well-camouflaged American saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) keeps a watchful eye on the camera. Humans pose the greatest threat to this endangered species, which was first hunted for its skin and now suffers from loss of nesting habitat throughout the coastline and cayes of Belize. Turneffe Atoll, one of the few areas the American crocodile can still be found, is not protected. A committee of public and private sector representatives known as the Turneffe Islands Advisory Committee—whose members include fishermen, tour operators, and representatives from research facilities, non-profit organizations, and the Belize government—is working to secure protected status for the area.

In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, a multidisciplinary team of conservationists, photojournalists, and new media specialists documented and explored the Belizean Barrier Reef Reserve System. Representatives from EarthWildInternational, University of California (Berkeley), Nationalgeographic.com, Belize Audubon, and the Wildlife Conservation Society examined universal challenges to conservation and sustainable development and celebrated successes in the preservation of our common natural heritage.

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