Haitian solenodon, Agouta
The Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus ), is a solenodon endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti). It was first described by Johann Friedrich von Brandt in 1833. A similar but smaller species, Marcano's solenodon (S. marcanoi ), once lived on the island, but became extinct after European colonization. Along with the often sympatric Hispaniolan hutia (Plagiodontia aedium ), it is one of two extant native land mammals on Hispaniola.
Hispaniolan solenodons are venomous mammals that live only on the island of Hispaniola. These animals look much like an oversized shrew; males and females are similar in size. They are typically dusky brown over most of the body, with a paler underside and reddish fur on the sides of the head, throat and upper chest. The tail, legs, snout, and eyelids are hairless. Hispaniolan solenodons have a very big head, with a long rostrum and tinsy eyes; ears are partially hidden by the body fur. Their forelegs are noticeably more developed than the hind legs, but all have strong claws useful for digging. These animals also have patches of skin rich in apocrine glands on the thighs. The secretions of these glands are used in communication between individuals.
Hispaniolan solenodons are found only on the island of Hispaniola, in the Dominican Republic and parts of southern Haiti. Their habitat is usually undisturbed moist forest, although they may sometimes be found close to developed agricultural land.
Hispaniolan solenodons are nocturnal creatures. During daylight hours, they hide in their burrows, trees, hollowed-out logs or caves. Their burrows may contain multiple chambers and tunnels and are typically inhabited by an adult pair accompanied by up to six younger family members. When they emerge into the open air, they run on the soles of their feet, following an erratic, zigzag course. When searching for their food, Hispaniolan solenodons probe the earth with their snouts and dig or rip open rotten logs with their claws. In order to communicate with each other, they make a number of vocalizations, including a loud defensive "chirp", an aggressive "squeal", a soft "squeak" when encountering familiar conspecifics, and a high-pitched "click" when encountering strangers. They have also been reported to make echolocation clicks.
Hispaniolan solenodons are carnivores (insectivores). They feed mainly on arthropods, but will also eat worms, snails, mice, and small reptiles. They may also consume a small amount of fruit, grains, and leaf litter.
Little is known about the mating system in Hispaniolan solenodons. They breed throughout the year. Females construct a nest in which they will give birth to their young and nurse them. They give birth to 1-3 young after a gestation period of over 84 days. The young are born blind and hairless and weigh 40-55 g (1.4-1.9 oz). They are carried about by the mother for the first two months of life, although it is unknown how long it takes for them to be fully weaned.
The main threat to Hispaniolan solenodons is the loss of their habitat through deforestation and encroachment for farming and charcoal production. They also suffer from predation by introduced species such as rats, mongoose, cats, and dogs. In Haiti, Hispaniolan solenodons are persecuted and hunted for food.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Hispaniolan solenodon total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
