Field Note – Ancient Temples and Iguanas

Field Note – Ancient Temples and Iguanas

Date: 2025/6/29

Location: Xunantunich Archaeological Site & Green Iguana Conservation Project, San Ignacio

Today was a day of history and conservation, as we visited two very different but equally fascinating places: the Xunantunich archaeological site and the Green Iguana Conservation Project at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel.

Photo of El Castillo

We began the day at Xunantunich, one of Belize’s biggest Maya ruins. To reach it, we took a hand-cranked ferry across the Mopan River. From there, we climbed up through the forested path until we saw El Castillo, the towering central pyramid. Climbing to the top provided us with a breathtaking view of the jungle, which stretched all the way into Guatemala.

Photos of the ruin

Standing on top of El Castillo, with the breeze blowing and the stone beneath my feet, I thought about the people who once built and worshipped here.The meaning of the name “Xunantunich” is “Stone Woman” . The frieze on the side is also very impressive. Though partially reconstructed, they still convey a sense of power, especially the sun god mask and celestial motifs.

In the afternoon, we visited the Green Iguana Conservation Project. It’s located right behind the San Ignacio Hotel, but feels like a mini version of the rainforest. The project focuses on rescuing and breeding the endangered green iguana (Iguana iguana), which faces threats from hunting and habitat loss.

Photos taken at the Green Iguana Conservation Project

We were able to interact closely with several iguanas, learning how to identify males and females (hint: males are usually brighter and have larger jowls). The highlight was watching the young iguanas—some just a few months old—climbing over each other and munching on leaves. The staff explained their head-start program, where the iguanas are raised in a protected environment and then released into the wild once they’re big enough to survive predators.