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Analysis of stalactites found in the Great Blue Hole shows that formation took place 153,000, 66,000, 60,000, and 15,000 years ago. As the ocean began to rise again, the cave was flooded. [3] The Great Blue Hole is a part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [4]
A large portion of the reef is protected by the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, which includes seven marine reserves, 450 cayes, and three atolls. It totals 960 square kilometres (370 sq mi) in area, including: Glover's Reef Marine Reserve; Great Blue Hole; South Water Caye Marine Reserve; Half Moon Caye Natural Monument; Hol Chan Marine ...
The Great Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye have been designated as Natural Monuments and are UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System) since 1996. [6] The protected areas are 4.14 square kilometres (1.60 sq mi) and 39.25 square kilometres (15.15 sq mi) in size respectively.
The Great Blue Hole in Belize was declared by Jacques Cousteau to be one of the top five dive sites in the world. Discovery Channel referred to it as one of the ten most amazing places on earth.
The Blue Hole is a massive sinkhole in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Belize.
The reserve was originally divided into three areas: Zone A which includes the inside and outside of the reef (part of the Belize Barrier Reef). No fishing is permitted in this area, but snorkeling and diving are permitted on payment of a fee. Zone B covers the sea grass beds inside the reef.
The majority of these reserves contribute to the conservation of Belize's Barrier Reef, which provides a protective shelter for pristine atolls, seagrass meadows and rich marine life. The preservation of the Barrier Reef system has been recognised as a global interest through the collective designation of seven protected areas, including four ...
Rocky Point, within Bacalar Chico, is the only location in Belize where the barrier reef meets the shore. The point is ‘rocky’ because a fossilized Pleistocene reef lies exposed at the surface. Within the park, all five species of cats native to Belize have been recorded, including the jaguar and puma .