Victoria Peak (Belize)
| Victoria Peak | |
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Victoria Peak view from Hopkins Bay, Stann Creek
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,120 m (3,670 ft) |
| Coordinates | 16°48′44″N 88°37′13″W / 16.81222°N 88.62028°WCoordinates: 16°48′44″N 88°37′13″W / 16.81222°N 88.62028°W |
| Geography | |
 Victoria Peak
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| Parent range | Maya Mountains |
Victoria Peak within the Maya Mountains is the second highest mountain in Belize. The highest peak in the country, Doyle's Delight at a height of 1,124 metres (3,688 ft), is located 57 kilometres (35 mi) southwest of Victoria Peak. Victoria Peak is situated in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Victoria Peak is situated in the Stann Creek District of Belize, in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, and is home to many flora and fauna common to Belize. It was pronounced a natural monument in 1998, comprising about 4,847 acres bordered by the Sittee River Forest Reserve, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, and Chiquibul National Park.
Victoria Peak is situated in a broad-leaved montane elfin forest. The tropical evergreen jungle has been damaged by hurricanes such as Hurricane Hattie in 1961, and fires caused by occasional lightning. These environmental factors have caused the ecosystem to become stunted. Along with averages of 100 inches of rainfall per year, Victoria peak is often windswept and cloud covered and the soil is poor as the various surrounding vegetation takes up all of the nutrients. The mountain is found covered with non-calcareous rock, along with the growth of many different plant species.
Many of the plants that thrive in this diverse forest are used for medicinal practices, food, or even as guides and trail markers ensuring the Maya hunters do not become lost in the forest. The vegetation begins at the base of the mountain with moist, tropical forest, transforming into elfin shrubland, characterized by sphagnum moss and a tree canopy of about 2–3m (6-10 ft) high. Just ahead of the summit is rich, humid forest that is dense with secondary growth among mature tree stands, yet with a relatively clear forest floor. The base of the mountain is compiled of sedge marsh that eventually turns to orange groves as the elevation increases slightly. The many species of trees inhabiting the peak include mahogany, cedar, banak, waika, swivelstick, quamwood, yemeri, negrito, santa maria, rosewood and many more.
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Wikipedia