Animals of Dominica
604 species
Dominica is an island country in the Caribbean. It is geographically situated as part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Dominica's closest neighbours are two constituent territories of the European Union and Eurozone, the overseas departments of the French Republic, Guadeloupe to the northwest and Martinique to the south-southeast. Dominica comprises a land area of 750 km2, and the highest point is Morne Diablotins, at 1,447 m in elevation. The population was 71,293 at the 2011 census.
The Sisserou parrot is Dominica's national bird and is endemic to its mountain forests. A related species, the Jaco or red-necked parrot, is also a Dominican endemic. Both birds are rare and protected, though some forest is still threatened by logging in addition to the long-standing threat of hurricanes.
Dominica has recorded at least four species of snakes and 11 species of lizards.
Dominica is home to 195 species of birds, because of the isolated location of Dominica this is a lesser number compared to Trinidad which is located closer to mainland South-America with 472 bird species.
The Caribbean Sea offshore of the island of Dominica is home to many cetaceans. Most notably a group of sperm whales live in this area year-round. Other cetaceans commonly seen in the area include spinner dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. Less commonly seen animals include killer whales, false killer whales, pygmy sperm whales, dwarf sperm whales, Risso's dolphins, common dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, humpback whales and Bryde's whales. This makes Dominica a destination for tourists interested in whale-watching.
Dominica is an island country in the Caribbean. It is geographically situated as part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Dominica's closest neighbours are two constituent territories of the European Union and Eurozone, the overseas departments of the French Republic, Guadeloupe to the northwest and Martinique to the south-southeast. Dominica comprises a land area of 750 km2, and the highest point is Morne Diablotins, at 1,447 m in elevation. The population was 71,293 at the 2011 census.
The Sisserou parrot is Dominica's national bird and is endemic to its mountain forests. A related species, the Jaco or red-necked parrot, is also a Dominican endemic. Both birds are rare and protected, though some forest is still threatened by logging in addition to the long-standing threat of hurricanes.
Dominica has recorded at least four species of snakes and 11 species of lizards.
Dominica is home to 195 species of birds, because of the isolated location of Dominica this is a lesser number compared to Trinidad which is located closer to mainland South-America with 472 bird species.
The Caribbean Sea offshore of the island of Dominica is home to many cetaceans. Most notably a group of sperm whales live in this area year-round. Other cetaceans commonly seen in the area include spinner dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. Less commonly seen animals include killer whales, false killer whales, pygmy sperm whales, dwarf sperm whales, Risso's dolphins, common dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, humpback whales and Bryde's whales. This makes Dominica a destination for tourists interested in whale-watching.
