Wildlife of the Caribbean

About this book

This is the first comprehensive illustrated guide to the natural world of the Caribbean islands. It contains 600 vivid color images featuring 451 species of plants, birds, mammals, fish, seashells, and much more. While Wildlife of the Caribbean primarily looks at the most conspicuous and widespread species among the islands, it also includes rarely seen creatures – such as the Rhinoceros Iguana and Cuban Solenodon – giving readers a special sense of the region's diverse wildlife. Each species is represented by one or more color photos or illustrations; details regarding its identification, status, and distribution; and interesting aspects of its life history or relationship to humans. In addition, an introductory section focuses on the unique characteristics of the Caribbean's fauna and flora, the threats faced by both, and some of the steps being taken to sustain the area's extraordinary natural heritage.

Wildlife of the Caribbean is the essential field guide for learning about the living wonders in this area of the world.

Contents

Acknowledgments 4
Introduction 4
Goal 4
Geographic Coverage 4
Species Coverage 5
Species Accounts 5
The Islands 8
Geography 8
Climate 8
Biogeography 8
Lost Faunas 10
Habitats 13
Hurricanes and Their Influence on Habitats and Wildlife 15
Folklore 16
Environmental Threats and Conservation 17
Environmental Threats 17
Conservation in Practice 26
Species Accounts
Terrestrial Life 29
Plants 30
Terrestrial Mammals 92
Birds 100
Terrestrial Reptiles 196
Amphibians 212
Freshwater Fish and Shrimp 220
Terrestrial Invertebrates 222
Marine Life 229
Conserving the Marine Environment of the Caribbean and the World: A Global Imperative, by The Honorable Freundel Stuart, Q.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Barbados 230
Marine Mammals 232
Marine Reptiles 236
Marine Fish 238
Marine Plants and Invertebrates 268
Seashells (Mollusks) 280
References and Additional Reading 292
Glossary 296
Photograph, Illustration, and Text Edit Credits 297
Index 300

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Biography

Herbert A. Raffaele has worked in the Caribbean for over four decades. He directed wildlife conservation for Puerto Rico's Department of Natural Resources and served as chief of Latin American and Caribbean programs for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

James W. Wiley has conducted ornithological research throughout the Caribbean since 1972. Raffaele and Wiley are coauthors of Birds of the West Indies