Formally known as British Honduras, early references to “Belize” were often confused in early collection records. Some trade skins may have been labeled “Honduras” or “Belize,” reflecting the port of origin of Belize City rather than the origin of the collection location. Scant early collections and records from the mid-1800s exist, with more focused collecting efforts occurring in the mid-1930s to the early 1940s. Collecting increased sporadically in the 1970s, with more focused work in the early to mid-1980s. With increased interest and efforts dedicated toward conservation, the establishment of protected areas, and the evaluation of wildlife corridors, there was an expansion of multi-taxa surveys throughout the country. The majority of these did not involve taking specimens but relied on capture and release, observational studies, tracking studies, camera traps, and acoustic monitoring for bats. Many mammal surveys focused on charismatic mammals such as jaguars, tapirs, manatees, primates, and bats. Those efforts began in the late 1980s and continue to the present time. There were two national biodiversity databases, but neither exists now. Unlike its Central American neighbors, Belize does not have a national repository or collections of specimens, and virtually all are held in museum collections based in other countries.