Sharon Matola, founder of the Belize Zoo, passes away at 66

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Sharon Matola

Many people across the country have been saddened to learn of the passing of 66-year-old Sharon Matola, founding director of the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center. Her work in conservation and wildlife has been extensive, spanning across the decades and touching the lives of many, animals included. It was as early as 1983 that she started the Zoo and four years later, in 1987, that she began work at the Center. She dedicated her life to the conservation of wildlife, a lifestyle she maintained until her passing at a private institution in Cayo on Sunday, March 21, 2021.
The Zoo issued a press release stating that Matola’s funeral will be held privately for her friends and family, as per her final instructions. Regardless, the family and other loved ones do appreciate the outpour of support and respect Matola has received, even now in her passing. Her contributions have gone on to impact countless generations, and in knowing this, her Zoo family understands that her legacy must continue. Instead of flowers, they ask that your financial contributions be made through the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center or its partner, the Belize Zoo and Neotropical Conservancy and that we all do our part in advocating for wildlife conservation in Belize.