Wildlife Conservationist Jeff Corwin in Belize for Sharon Matola Day

You may recognize him from Disney Channel’s Going Wild or the Jeff Corwin Experience on Animal Planet or even ABC’s Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin, but today the American biologist is in Belize. Corwin touched down this afternoon and is a special guest for the second annual Sharon Matola Day, which takes place on Saturday to honour the founder of the Belize Zoo.  Many may not have known this fun fact, but Corwin has been coming to Belize for decades; first as a lover of the environment and wildlife, but then to film in the country. News Five caught up with Belize Zoo Director Celso Poot and Corwin at the P.G.I.A.

Jeff Corwin

Jeff Corwin, Biologist & Wildlife Conservationist

“Sharon Matola was a dear friend of mine. She was a pioneer in conservation. The very first television series that I did which was my series on Disney channel, which was called going wild, I filmed the pilot here after I had just finished my graduate work in Belize. So I had been coming to Belize since I was about sixteen years old. And when I got my new life as producer and host, I came back only for work. But the Belize Zoo it’s the world’s greatest little zoo.  It’s really a pioneer, Sharon and the zoo and the whole community with the Tropical Education Center, they really are pioneers when it comes to conservation.”

Celso Poot

Celso Poot, Director, Belize Zoo

“The second annual Sharon Matola Day. What we at the Belize Zoo are trying to do is ensure that Sharon’s legacy lives on and her legacy is that people who visit the zoo would be inspired to protect wildlife and their habitat.”