Top 10 wildlife species you’ll encounter in the Caribbean

The archipelagos include three major regions between South America and North America which are the Lesser Antilles, the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles such as Cuba, Puerto Rico Jamaica, also involving Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Birds

There are several genera in the Caribbean archipelagos, among which are endemic species, spread out into a few small areas on the archipelagos. 36 species are also endemic to the region, as well as two groups such as the Palm Slave from the Todiers and the Dulidae. There is also the quetzal, which has been an inspiration source for the inhabitants of Central America for years. This bird symbolises freedom and Central America. One of the most essential signs of bird talk in the Caribbean archipelagos is the parrots, especially the St. Lucia parrot, and the Dominica imperial parrot. In short, the national parks can allow you to observe these species while on holiday.

Mammals

The Caribbean archipelagos are home to around 90 families of mammals, some of which are endemic to the region. This includes two native species of rats, the Solenodontidae and Capromyidae. The species of Solenodontidae include two families that are still active, the Cuban Solenodon and the Alchimi Paradoxal, which are large rodents and are in danger of extinction due to encroaching species like dogs, cats, etc. There is also the Caribbean manatee such as Trichechus manatus, which is native to Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. Indeed, this big aquatic mammal is endangered by commercial fishing and by the impact of boats, which can lead to their death. In short, mammals are increasingly threatened at the moment, and it is mandatory to protect them.

Reptiles

Reptiles in the Caribbean archipelagos are abundant. Indeed, they are home to about 500 reptile families, some of which are endemic to the region. They consist of many large branching lizards, such as the anolis with 154 genera, of which 150 are endemic to the area. The Caribbean islands also house dwarf geckos (Sphaerodactylus; 90 genera, of which 80 are endemic to the islands). You can also find the swallow-tailed lizards with 23 endemic families in the Caribbean islands. Indeed, these lizard genera are the smallest of their kind in the world. You can also encounter snakes in places like Costa Rica.

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Top 10 wildlife species you’ll encounter in the Caribbean