Jamaican Fruit-Eating Bat (Artibeus jamaicensis)
There are several species of bats in the Virgin Islands. They are the only mammals that have not been introduced by people. The various species incorporate a wide range of foods in their diets, including fruits, insects, and even fish!
The Jamaican fruit-eating bat feeds on a large variety of fruits, but can incorporate pollen, nectar, and insects into its diet as well. The bats bite into a fruit, squeeze a piece in their mouths, swallow the juice, then spit out the remaining pellet of fruit pulp.
This species frequently roosts in caves, abandoned buildings, or hollow trees. They have also been known to build shelters by biting the mid-ribs of large leaves, causing them to fold into a tent-like shape.
White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Originally introduced in the late 1700s for hunting purposes, white-tailed deer have established small populations in the Virgin Islands. The island deer do not grow as large as their North American cousins, even though they are members of the same species. Due to their small size, the deer can sometimes be confused with goats at a glance.
Occasionally, they can be seen swimming in the ocean to nearby smaller islands. These rare, shy and gentle creatures feed on a variety of plants and require patience and local knowledge to find and observe.
Mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus)
The mongoose was originally introduced into the Caribbean as an attempt to protect sugarcane crops from foraging rats. This attempt was unsuccessful, as the sugarcane pests were tree rats, which feed at night and hide in trees during the day. Mongooses, however, feed during the day and don’t climb trees. This is not to say that mongooses never successfully catch and feed upon tree rats, but the relative infrequency of this event coupled with the high reproductive and immigration rates of rats ensured that their populations thrived.
Mongooses eat a varied diet including small reptiles, birds, rodents, insects, some fruits, and bird and reptile eggs - including sea turtle eggs.
Mongooses are controversial creatures. They are interesting and fun animals to watch, but their introduction has been ecologically damaging to native reptile and bird species.
Tree Rat (Rattus rattus)
Also known as black rats, roof rats, and ship rats, tree rats are common mammals in the Virgin Islands. They can often be found in trees near human habitations.
Originally from Asia, these rats have spread to warm climates around the world, becoming one of the world’s most common mammals. They were inadvertently brought to the Virgin Islands by the first European settlers.
Depending on one’s viewpoint, rats can be feared and despised or admired and respected for their resourcefulness and adaptability.
Tree rats feed on a large variety of foods, including plant material, bird and reptile eggs and small animals. Like the mongoose, tree rats have been ecologically damaging to native Virgin Island species. Norwegian rats (Rattus norvegicus) can also be found in the Virgin Islands.