Main Source Material: A Survey of the Natural Resources of Nevis & Recommendations for Conservation Action.  By David Robinson, Nevkit Foundation, Sept 1988, (as transcribed by Kathy Remmel, Jan 2008)

The Fauna of Nevis: Circa 1720
 
Fauna (which means animals as a group) is not quite as large an area of study as the flora because the insular aspects of Nevis have kept most of the fauna to a small representative number. There are a number of categories of fauna which include most types of living beings such as mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, insects and birds. For the purpose of this study only birds, amphibians and reptiles and mammals will be discussed at any length. This is due to the lack of substantive data in the area of fishes, insects and further fauna categories.
 
Animal life on Nevis ranges from small insects such as mosquitoes, fleas and sandflys estimated in the millions to around 12,000 human beings. The fauna are, of course, essential to the islands eco-system particularly for the flora that require pollinating insects and dispersal of their seeds. In return the flora feeds most of the fauna and enriches the soil. Over the years this delicate eco-system has not always worked well especially when human beings began growing vast amunts of sugar cane and animals were allowed to roam and feed freely. This is perhaps more true today as pigs, sheep and goats still roam freely denuding the ground cover and causing erosion. Feral animals are a particular problem not only because they forage in private areas but because they are dangerous to humans and other animals. Wild donkeys and pigs are the most common type.
 
Archaeological study on Nevis reveals some insights as to the fauna of prehistoric times. A study of archaeological sites dating back to 2000 B.C. by Dr. Samuel Wilson (1988) show the following:
 
“These plants and probably many others that are unknown complemented the protein-rich  diet of seafoods and terrestrial animals. Land mammals are few in the Caribbean, but the  gutia Geocapromys and Oryzomine rodents are common in later prehistoric deposits. The agouti Dasyprocta aguti was introduced from South America by aboriginal colonists. The iguanas Cyclura and Iguna were other important terrestrial species, as were the Gecarcinus and Cardisoma land crabs. A variety of birds were exploited, although never in great numbers, including the families Columbidae, Laridae, Rallidae, Ardeidae, Podicipidae, and particularly the Procellariidae. Larger sea anmimals include the sea turtles, mantee Trichechus manatus and perhaps the West Indian Monk Seal Monachus tropicalus. An extremely diverse collection of shellfish, shallow and deep reef fish, and pelagic fish appear in the prehistoric diet of the Caribbean people.” FN
 
The largest number of fauna on Nevis are the wildlife species ( in contrast to domestic types). Among these birds make-up the largesr number of species within the fauna category.
 
A. Birds of Nevis- Today and Yesterday
 
Today
 
Bird species are more prone to becoming extinct in island habitants that in any other areas. It is estimated that 93 percent of bird species and subspecies which have become extinct since 1600 were from the islands (Johnson,1988). Nevis is no exception to this rule as two species known to have been here in 1720, as described by Smith, have not been seen during recent studies. They are the Screech Owl Otus nudipes, and Mountain Thrush if they are the same birds described by Smith in his Natural History of Nevis. The screech owl is only found in Puerto Rico now and apparently are not threatened. (Johnson,1988). The is no explanation for the disappearance of the brown noddy which is presently found throughout the West indies except to say that perhaps it is very rare here and the recent sightings have not been made. The Spoonbill is a complete mystery since it is not endemis to the Lesser Antilles today. The Moutain Thrush could possibly ne the Forest Thrush Cichiherminia iherminieri  which is endemic to Montserrat, Guadaloupe, Dominica and St. Lucia however has not been sighted on Nevis.
 
Of the 80 bird species sighted here during six separate research trips in the last three years there appears to be no known bird that is endemic to Nevis nor does literature, writings and individual knowledge indicate that here was ever an endemic species. 

....much more to follow soon, just as soon as we have the Rev's writings transcribed!

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