BELIZE — A viral photograph appearing to show the iconic Blue Hole covered in sargassum generated concern among Belizeans and tourists. However, the Belize Audubon Society (BAS), the organization that co-administers the Blue Hole and the Laughing Bird Caye Wildlife Sanctuary, has clarified that the image depicts a temporary phenomenon.
The organization explained that the image corresponded to a momentary accumulation of floating sargassum that passed through the area and does not represent permanent damage. In a statement, the BAS detailed, "What you are seeing is just a temporary event: free-floating sargassum passing over the area. Given that the Blue Hole is completely submerged and there is no surrounding land for the sargassum to settle on, this seaweed has simply drifted and has since moved on."
The statement was accompanied by a video recorded by park rangers the previous Saturday, which shows the water's usual clarity. The original photograph was taken weeks earlier, on July 9, by Captain Abner Jacobs of Tropic Air.
Belize is currently experiencing one of the worst sargassum seasons in its history, even more intense than the one recorded in 2019. Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and much of the country's coast have been affected, raising alarms in the tourism and environmental sectors.
The Blue Hole, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a world-renowned attraction, continues to receive visitors who enjoy its underwater beauty. Nevertheless, the advance of sargassum remains a crucial topic on the agenda for ecological sustainability.
Discover more from Riviera Maya News & Events
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.