In the Jungle, the humans become the untamed – A photographic album of Belize

Belize has one of the healthiest populations of jaguars in Central America with an estimated 800-1000 of the big cats. They were important in Ancient Maya society and revered for their power and strength.

British soldiers on observation duty looking for incursions across the Belize and Guatemalan border.

More than 56 species of snake can be found in Belize.

The fer-de-lance (Bothrops asper) is a highly venomous pit viper species and is considered the most dangerous snake in Central and South America. Males are the most aggressive and will not hesitate to strike if cornered or threatened.

'Toc' doing his 'Yeh man, I think we are in Vietnam, have we reached Hanoi yet?' thing!

(Did you really think this was going to be serious?)

The author crosses a river using a typical hand-cranked boat.

Belize's best-known brothel, Raul's Rose Garden, whose strapline was 'Where every customer comes first.' The establishment was popular with British soldiers and provided live music, a well-stocked bar and hot food in the form of chicken soup.

Belize has nine types of tarantula, but while they look intimidating, their bites are normally a painful inconvenience.

There are four types of restroom available to soldiers in Belize.

Communal Semi-private

Private Dangerous

Belize was known as British Honduras until 1973 and was the last British colony on the American mainland and is home to many different ethnic groups, including Chinese, Creole, Indian, European, Grifuna, Lebanese, Maya, Mennonite and Mestizo, each with their own cultural and linguistic traditions.

The main obstacle to Belize’s independence is the threat posed by Guatemala, which has been claiming the territory of Belize in whole or in part since 1821. Following independence, Britain sought to maintain a deterrent force in the country to guard it from the threat posed by its hostile neighbour.

Now, the British presence plays a central role in Belize for its security. The training facilities help to increase the Belize Defence Force's capabilities, reducing its dependency on the British Army, as tensions between Belize and Guatemala are reduced.

A six-month operational tour of duty allows the soldiers posted there to explore some of Belize's natural wonders including the Great Blue Hole, diverse wildlife, stunning beaches, small islands and stunning coral reefs

And then........