ABOUT BBR.

Belize Bird Rescue operates under license and support from the Government of Belize Forest Department and is a Belizean registered non-profit and non-governmental organization.

Due to the sensitive nature of our rehabilitation programs we are not open to the public

OUR STAFF
& VOLUNTEERS.

Nikki Buxton MBE
BSc. Hons
Founder & Executive Director

Nikki provides the day-to-day medical care, hand-rearing and rehab management for the facilty. She is a Founder-Director and has been managing the organisation since its inception in 2004. Although BBR now works with every species of indigenous birds, her passion will always be for the parrots.

Nikki was awarded an MBE (2025) and an IFAW Animal Action Award 2023

Oscar Valle, BA

Husbandry Manager

Oscar cares for the birds daily and knows the long-term residents better than anyone. He cleans the aviaries, adds enrichment and keeps a close eye on the physical and mental condition of the birds. He works closely with interns and volunteers and provides training and assistance where required for the Forest Department inspections and enforcement. Oscar knows all of our birds and has incredible awareness of any changes in health and behaviour.

Orlando Valle

Husbandry

Orlando has been with us almost from the start of BBR. He works tirelessly, feeding the birds, collecting browse, and seeding and planting fruit trees. He keeps the enclosures and immediate grounds around the aviaries clean, safe and sanitary. He helps take care of the food colonies and assists Oscar with major husbandry tasks such as screening and re-perching.
Orlando manages the fish stocks and ponds, and fishes with a cast net for water-bird supplies. He also loves caring for our extensive rodent colonies.

Carmen Guillen

Cleaning & Food Prep

Carmen has been with us longer than she cares to remember! She keeps the indoor facilities clean, including the prep room dishes, laundry and crate cleaning. She also forages for fruits and foods from around the property. This lady is an absolute whirlwind of activity and adores the birds and animals at the rescue.

Miguel Angel Cal

Husbandry and Welfare

Miguel joined the team in April 2025 under an internship sponsorship from PACT (Belize). During the 5 months of our busiest season he learned a lot about the handling and care of all species, but especially the parrots and raptors. Miguel became a permanent member of the team in September 2025.

Elias Blaset

Social Media Volunteer

Elías brings over 8 years of experience as a wildlife care specialist, educator, and conservationist. With a background in hands-on animal care and public engagement, he combines his expertise with a passion for visual storytelling to share the voices of Belize's wildlife-especially its birds.
A trail camera enthusiast and skilled videographer, Elías captures authentic moments of wildlife through handheld cameras, POV gimbals, drone videography, and camera traps that reveal natural behaviors often unseen. His work at BBR highlights the organization's mission of giving birds a second chance, fostering community engagement, and standing against the illegal wildlife trade.
Beyond BBR, he continues his conservation storytelling through @Project_Symbiosis on Instagram and YouTube, where he documents wildlife encounters and conservation efforts worldwide.
Elias is a BBR online Volunteer

Sam Hatto-Hembling

Director, HR and Administration

Sam volunteers in her spare time. She helps with admin tasks, staff management and runs the membership and adoption programmes as well as helping out with transportation and the odd rescue!

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Maryann Izzarelli-Turner

Social Media & Fundraising

Maryann volunteers remotely with BBR. She helps to keep our the social media pages active and runs multiple fundraising activities throughout year.

Maryann is an online and remote volunteer

Dr Sophie Hebert DVM

Avian & Exotic Veterinarian

Dr Sophie visits on a regular basis and volunteers her services as an avian vet and behavioural specialists. She is familiar with all of the rehab cases at BBR and is available 24/7 for expert online consultations.

Dr Sophie is an online and in-person volunteer

Jerry Larder

Co-founder

Jerry is an engineer by trade. His financial contributions during the early years and his dedication to wildlife welfare is the foundation upon which Belize Bird Rescue is built.