Actun Tunichil Muknal Natural Monument

History

In January of 2003 it was decided that 455 acres of the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve would be dereserved and redesignated as a “>Natural Monument.” Statutory Instrument (SI) # 16 of 24 of 10 January 2004 was passed, establishing this area as a natural monument and an additional SI was passed in June of 2004 that established a fee structure of $30 BZ per person.

Official signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Belize Audubon Society and the Institute of Archeology (IoA) occurred on June 10th 2004 at the BAS office. This agreement is the first of its kind to be signed by the Society for the co-management of an archeological site.

Although found well within the boundaries of the Reserve, this particular cave was still under the management of the Department of Archeology (now known as the Institute of Archeology) and under this management two tour agencies, Paxz Tours and Maya Walk Tours were granted permission to conduct tourism activities within this particular cave.

Activities to be carried out under this agreement include the development of management and operational plans, infrastructure development, fee collection, trail development, tour guide trainings and other dayto-day management of the Natural Monument. All management costs and entrance fees are divided 50/50 between BAS and IoA.

At present there are two licensed tour agencies that carry out tours into the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave. They are Paxz and Maya Walk Tours. Tickets to enter the reserve with these agencies are sold from the Cahal Pech Visitor Center in San Ignacio.

In the MOU between BAS and IoA, both parties have agreed to jointly manage and develop the Natural Monument in accordance with the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) and the National Park System Act and to put in place such other regulations by SI or otherwise, as may be necessary in order to ensure full implementation of the agreement.