A tapir was tragically struck and killed near Maya Center Village. The incident, which occurred on a busy road, has sparked concern among conservationists and locals alike.
The Belize Audubon Society’s Assistant Tourism Officer, Rafael Choc, was quick to respond to the scene. Demonstrating a coordinated effort, Choc, alongside the Maya Center police, traffic officers, workers from Lowen’s Hardware, and officials from the Ministry of Works, collaborated to manage the situation.
The team worked diligently to remove the deceased animal from the roadside and buried the tapir.
Tapirs hold a special place in Belize’s natural heritage, being the national animal and a symbol of the country’s rich biodiversity. The loss of this tapir is a stark reminder of the challenges facing wildlife in Belize, particularly the dangers posed by road traffic.
Forty-four-year-old Ronny Sierra was working on the rooftop of a house in Esperanza Village when he slipped and fell. Sierra, a resident of Benque Viejo del Carmen, had just started working with a construction company three weeks ago. According to a relative, the incident has left the Sierra family in grief over the loss of their youngest sibling who had just left a voice message on Monday, wishing an older brother well. This morning when he fell, he landed on a wooden stump that had a sharp edge at the top. The stump penetrated Sierra’s right upper chest, causing his death. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
This piece of stick protruding out of the ground wouldn’t be considered a hazard, but this morning, forty-four-year-old Ronny Sierra fell on it and lost his life. The construction worker was on the roof of this house in Esperanza Village when he slipped. It stabbed him in the right upper part of his chest, killing him. Sierra’s older brother, Carmito, told News Five via phone that Ronny took his job seriously.
Via phone: Carmito Sierra
Via phone: Carmito Sierra, Brother of deceased
“What we learned from him was that he needs to be punctual at work, and he needed to be at work every day. He was very responsible, not only with his immediate family, but with also his brothers and sisters. Whenever we needed help from him, when it comes to helping the family, he was al always there.”
Carmito Sierra said that he spoke with his younger brother only hours before he lost his life.
Via phone: Carmito Sierra
“I spoke with him only last night. I sent him a message because I was doing some construction work – getting someone to go to do construction work, and so I told him to recommend someone to me. The last words that he said was he wished me the best, and may everything go fine, and then God’s blessings. And just last night, he did that recording and sent it to me.”
Carmito Sierra said that the family will remember Ronny as a hard-working person who was selfless and thoughtful, and someone who always looked out for them, even though he was the youngest one. Marion Ali for News Five.
An American retiree has died while snorkeling near the Glover Reef Atolls. On April fifteenth, the unresponsive body of seventy-four-year-old Kent Hills Foster was taken to the Southern Regional Hospital Morgue in Dangriga Town, where he was identified by his wife, Pamela Gay Fairley. Reports are that the two had been vacationing in Belize, having arrived on April tenth, and while snorkeling on the fifteenth, Foster started experiencing complications. His wife attempted to assist him but was unable to. Foster lost consciousness and the captain of the catamaran, who the couple had chartered, performed CPR but was also unsuccessful in his efforts. He was taken to the Southern Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead at twelve twenty-six p.m. While a port mortem exam is still pending, Foster’s medical records showed that he had Aortic Dissection, which is a rare but deadly condition where the inner layer of the aorta tears and blood flows between the layers, weakening the artery wall. Foster had undergone treatment for this condition three weeks prior to his passing. An initial investigation revealed no signs of foul play at this time.
