Jamaica / Special Interests / Eco/Nature

Jamaica has a unique topography, which ranges from the limestone karst terrain of the Cockpit Country to the volcanic Blue and John Crow Mountains and from savannah like landscapes in the south to beaches with both white (coral) and black (volcanic) sand. With a varied climate too, this has resulted in specialised eco-systems - tropical, sub-tropical and temperate (cooling with elevation). Consequently Jamaica has an extraordinary variety of flora. There are over 3000 species of flowering plants, almost a third of which are found nowhere else in the world, including around 200 species of orchids and over 500 species of ferns (with almost 100 endemics). See Flowers & Gardens. Conservation of the island’s natural heritage faces considerable difficulties, but a number of eco conscious organisations do exist in Jamaica and do what they can. See under Jamaica Eco Conservation.

While Jamaica has much more wildlife than most islands in the Caribbean, like them the island’s animals are not so spectacular. With the exception of its birdlife, which is impressive and is becoming a fixture with birding enthusiasts. It has a good clutch of endemics (over 10%) in its 250 species. See our Jamaica Birdwatching section. Of the animals, the most widespread and successful species are reptiles. These range from crocodiles (found in the south-west of the island, particularly around Black River) to the rarely seen Jamaican boa as well as iguana, lizards and tree frogs. Tree frogs are a delightful part of tropical life. They sing with a rhythmic peep, often in unison, after rain and after dark. There are no large mammals on land, but rodents include the Coney, a native Jamaican relative of the guinea pig, which is very rarely seen. You will see the mongoose, generally skittering across the roads into the canefields. There are also 21 species of bats.

The other major group is insects, of which are limitless examples. You are quite likely to come across mosquitoes and sand flies - the latter appear on the beaches in the late afternoon and considering that they are nearly invisible they cause an irritating itch. The most delightful insect is probably the firefly, which you may see at night on a meandering, flashing trail as they search for a mate. There are more than 100 species of butterfly in Jamaica, a fifth of which are not found anywhere else in the world. They include the giant swallowtail. There are also some animals offshore. For information about corals and small fish, see our Jamaica Scuba Diving section, but there are also manatees, shy walrus-like creatures (without tusks), which live in the south-west, appearing at Black River and sometimes Milk River. Finally there are turtles. These have been hunted near to extinction and to add insult to injury, the next generation is under constant threat too. Turtle eggs, which are buried in nests on the beaches, are often taken, first as a source of food, but also because they are considered an aphrodisiac.

The following wildlife are protected under Jamaica’s Wildlife Protection Act, see NEPA (National Environment & Planning Agency) under Conservation:

Jamaican Coney/Hutia - Jamaica’s only endemic terrestrial mammal, the Coney is a herbivore and lives in holes in the ground. It looks quite like a large guinea pig and is found in remote areas such as the Hellshire Hills, Portland Ridge, the Cockpit Country and the Blue & John Crow Mountains.

West Indian Manatees – also known as ‘sea cows’, these are large aquatic mammals, herbivores which have the look of a walrus without tusks. Weighing up to 1200 pounds and growing to over 9 ft in length, they are greyish in colour and have a flat, paddle-shaped tail. They are docile and graze on aquatic plants such as sea-grasses in shallow waters of estuaries, bays and slow-moving rivers on the south coast of Jamaica.

Crocodiles – featured on the island’s coat of arms, the American Crocodile (Crocodilus acutus) is Jamaica’s largest reptile. It grows up to 12ft in length and can be found naturally on the south coast, between Portland Point and Westmoreland, in rivers, swamps and mangroves and occasionally offshore. To see these carnivorous creatures in safety there are several Black River boat trips on the south coast in St Elizabeth, or you can visit J Charles Swaby’s Swamp near Falmouth. This is a nature reserve with snakes, birds and crocodiles (there is a breeding station), where scenes of the James Bond movie, Live and Let Die, were filmed.

Jamaican Iguana – endangered prehistoric-looking lizard with armour plating, found mainly in the Hellshire Hills east of Kingston. They can grow up to five feet or more.

Sea Turtles – the hawksbill turtle is still sees from time to time, but numbers of all turtles have dwindled (leatherback, loggerhead and green turtles are barely seen at all now). The nesting season of the hawksbill starts around May and goes through to October during which time they come ashore at night lay their eggs. The Sea Turtle Recovery Network (STRN) is a conservation unit which works to protect and monitor turtles and increase public awareness.

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly – is a rare an endangered species that was once found in most of Jamaica and is now limited to remote areas within the Cockpit Country and the Blue and John Crow Mountains. The butterfly is the second largest swallowtail butterfly in the world, with a wingspan of around 6 inches. There are about 119 species of butterflies listed for Jamaica, 19 of which are endemic.

The Jamaican Boa/Yellow Boa – an endangered and extremely shy boa constrictor which grows to 6ft or more. The snake is either a deep tan, russet or olive colour and has random black scales, a yellow underbelly and a black tail. Non poisonous, the Jamaican boa is now extremely rare and is only seen in the Cockpit Country, Portland Ridge, Hellshire Hills and Blue Mountains. Jamaica has several endemic snake species (all non poisonous) including two species of thunder snake which are to be found in the Portland Ridge area.

If you want to get out and see nature up close one of the best ways is hiking, and there are a number of trails and companies that offer guided hikes, such as Cockpit Country Adventure Tours in Trelawny, Sunventure Tours in Kingston and Valley Hikes in Port Antonio. Please see further information in our Jamaica Hiking section.