The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw: One Woman's Fight to Save the World's Most Beautiful Bird

THE BEST FIELD GUIDE TO BELIZE.EVER.You probably won't find Bruce Barcott's The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw in the travel book or nature guide sections of your local bookstore or of Amazon.com, but it just may be the best field guide to Belize you'll ever read.Ostensibly the story of Sharon Matola, founder of the amazing Belize Zoo, and her campaign to defeat the Chalillo Dam on the Macal River in Western Belize and to save the nesting ground of what are believed to be the last 200 Scarlet Macaws in Belize, it's actually a 313-page crash course on Belizean culture, society and politics.It's also the most riveting, gossipy and entertaining book on the country since Richard Timothy Conroy's 1997 memoir of British Honduras in the 1950s, Our Man in Belize.Barcott names names. He pulls no punches. As an American writer - he's a contributing editor to Outside Magazine and the author of a book on Mount Rainier, among other things - he doesn't have to worry about making a living in Belize or raising a family there. He points to the high-level corruption that Lord Michael Ashcroft, the British-Belizean politician and entrepreneur, helped introduce in Belize and who "turned the sovereign nation of Belize into his own tax-free holding company," to the fast-buck shenanigans of the second generation of People's United Party politicians, to the seamy Dark Side of the PUP's "Minister of Everything" Ralph Fonseca, to the shrill shilling of party spokesman Norris Hall, to the fellow-traveling of the Belize Audubon Society and even to the bumbling efforts of some well-intended but barely competent Belizeans.I've been banging around Belize for more than 17 years, but Barcott's book is full of insights I've missed or didn't understand. It took Barcott to tell to me why so many Belizean politicians wear guayaberas and other open-neck shirts (to set themselves apart from their English colonial masters who slaved in the heat in coats and ties). Barcott explained why and how the Belize Audubon Society, which one would think would be on the side of the at-risk Scarlet Macao, helped get the Chalillo Dam approved (the Belize Audubon Society, under President José Pepe Garcia, at that time a quasi-arm of the Belize government, claimed the Scarlet Macao subspecies wasn't really endangered in Belize and that the habitat of the Macal River Valley was duplicated elsewhere in Belize.)If there's a fault to Barcott's approach, it's that he relies heavily on the gringo side of the outsider-local divide so common in post-colonial countries, including Belize. Many of his primary sources - Matola, ex-Fleet Street newspaperman Meb Cutlack, Lodge at Chaa Creek co-owner Mick Fleming, butterfly expert Jan Meerman, geologist/dolomite miner Brian Holland and others -while long-time residents of Belize and in many cases Belize citizens -- will always be viewed by some Belizeans as expat, white perpetual tourists. Barcott tried twice to interview George Price, Belize's ascetic, incorruptible George Washington, but was turned away: "He's too busy," the retired Price's sister told him. We hear little or nothing directly from Said Musa, King Ralph or Lord Ashcroft.It also bugs me that Barcott's publisher, Random House, didn't do a bloody index.Sharon Matola comes across as a complex and sometimes exasperating woman, neither Joan of Arc nor Wangari Maathai. A fluent Russian speaker, a fungi expert, a former bikini-clad circus tiger trainer, the founder and miracle worker of "the best little zoo in the world," Matola, at the height of the anti-dam, pro-Scarlet Macao effort, almost forsake the battle. She became depressed and for a while, as a long-time Rolling Stones fan, turned her focus to a new campaign to get the city fathers of Dartford, a small working class town near London, to build a shrine to native sons Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.Even with Matola at her passionate best, the campaign to stop the dam failed, of course. With most of the economic and political power structures of Belize supporting the pork project, and the giant Canadian utility Fortis dead set on damming as much of the world as possible, there was never much chance it would succeed.Tellingly, however, Matola did win the Battle of the Garbage Dump. Vindictive members of the government allegedly planned to put Matola in her place by building a dump at Mile 27 of the Western Highway, virtually next door to the Belize Zoo. After some clever maneuvering, some of it involving Britain's Princess Anne, the government backed down and decided to locate the egregious dump elsewhere.One irony came too late for Barcott to include in his book. The environmental consulting company, Tunich-Nah Consultants, headed by José Pepe Garcia, the former Belize Audubon Society president, conducted the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Ara Macao, the overblown planned development on the Placencia peninsula. Ara Macao, Spanish for Scarlet Macaw, received approval to build nearly 800 condos and villas, a marina, casino, 18-hole golf course and 400,000 sq. ft. commercial center, all this on a peninsula with no paved road access and a population of about 2,000. The beautiful, smart red parrots must have shuddered, as they searched for new nesting grounds in their fast-disappearing habitat.In the end, though, Belize is Belize.With a population of just 315,000, about that of a small provincial Canadian, U.S. or British city, everybody who is anybody knows everybody else, and it's hard to stay mad. As Barcott visits Belize for the last time in researching this book, in 2005, Matola is getting ready to attend a party at Beer Baron Barry Bowen's Belikin headquarters. Bowen, one of Belize's wealthiest men and the country's political check writer extraordinaire, had helped kick Matola's butt. Now, Barcott learned, it was time to kiss-kiss and make up. That's Belize for you...............Review and Opinion by Lan Sluder

The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw: One Woman’s Fight to Save the World’s Most Beautiful Bird is touted as the story of Sharon Matola and how she started The Belize Zoo, but it’s actually much more than that.It is a very well-researched look into a variety of subjects all relevant to the work of Sharon and others as they worked to prevent a dam from being built in Belize. The dam was expected to provide much needed energy to the country, but, in doing so, it would destroy the habit of the scarlet macaw, a beautiful South American bird that was already close to extinction in Belize.Barcott really digs into all facets of the dam, including a history of dams around the world, explanations of how Guatemala and Belize have worked together in the past, how the Belizean judicial and political system works, and much more. It’s detailed, so it can sometimes be a lot, but it is fascinating...especially if you have been or are planning to go to Belize. (Full disclosure: I read this book while in Belize myself and am so glad I did--it added so much to my trip.)It’s a complex story, but written in an interesting easy-to-understand manner, especially for those interested in Belize and/or environmental justice.

nice book

Visiting Belize is the perfect time to read this book. Characters are interesting and quirky. The history, politics, and scientific background fill in the amazing story. The zoo is a fascinating place and different from any other zoo I've visited. I wish I'd read the book before going to the zoo.

While it had a very important message, it dwelled so much on the inter-workings of the political greed and private greed, that I found myself very disappointed with the results. There wasn't much room for optimism for wildlife let alone that for humanity...kind of speaks to the general tone of the world today.

While I picked this up and put it down several times, it was a fascinating read. I don't how the author kept all the facts related to the dam construction straight and to read about the level of deception and corruption was infuriating and eye opening. Sharon is truly remarkable and I enjoyed reading about her inspiring story and hope to be inspired by her determination and drive.

The book is an interesting read. Regardless of what one believes about global warming, it does make one think about the habitat destruction through deforestation and hydroelectric projects such as the book describes. I think that the author appeared reasonably fair and balanced in his assessment though his CV does indicate some biases, and it would have been nice had there been some photography that showed the scope of the project as it developed and completed to show the destruction of the area discussed. A photograph may indeed be worth a thousand words in this instance. The lasting thing I found in the book is the corruption of the government of Belize, and the unfortunately usual Latin-American payola graft that taints what would be an otherwise eco-tourism haven and educational opportunity.Instead what occurred is that Belizeans pay more for the electricity to cover the cost overruns of the project, and a follow up dam was planned that is even larger than the one that destroyed the Scarlet's nesting habitat.I speak from the perspective of having owned a Scarlet as a personal pet (my buddy) for over 25 years.

Very well written, interesting book, especially if you have any interest at all in Belize. The book is actually less about the scarlet macaw than it is about getting things done (or not getting them done) in this relatively new, still developing country. Bruce Barcott presents much needed background on a variety of subjects -- birds, wildlife, Newfoundland, English Law, Belize politics -- all in a very readable manner. And the main character of the book, the "zoo-lady", is the interesting thread that ties it all together. Loved it and learned a lot!

Dramatisch und Augen öffnend, ist das Buch ein Must read für Artenschützer*innen und Fans von Belize. Eine Inspiration sich nicht geschlagen zu geben.

This is an insightful read; well researched and all encompassing. The book is primarily about the ecological issues of the loss of habitat of the Belize Scarlet Macaw, but in fact there is an equal balance of economic, political and social issues too, yet it is not a burdensome read, but most enjoyable.This should be a book club recommendation.

This book is mainly about politics and the history of Belize although one of the main issues is to stop a dam being built because it will render an area, where a group of Scarlet Macaws, Tapirs & other animals live, under water.In my opinion the title is deceiving but I found the book readableJan x

Great book, a must read if you are heading into the jungle of Belize.