Mammals

Mammals: Terrestrial

Bats are the only native terrestrial mammals extant in the country today, and as is the case throughout the Lesser Antilles, they constitute the largest mammalian group. Morton and Courts (1999, unpublished data) have conducted the most recent and comprehensive research on the bat fauna of St. Kitts and Nevis. They found six species in total for the country (see Table 8 below). All six had been previously recorded from St. Kitts, although they did not find Tadarida brasiliensis in St. Kitts during this survey. Only two species had been known from Nevis, and their research added another two.

For Additional information see Scott C. Pedersen's paper "Bats of Nevis" or visit his excellent batsite!

Nevis Bat Abstract - Only one species of bat, Molossus molossus, previously has been documented as occurring on the northern Lesser Antillean island of Nevis. Field research and reviews of existing museum collections have provided documentation based on voucher specimens for an additional seven species occurring on the island - Noctilio leporinus, Brachyphylla cavernarum, Monophyllus plethodon, Ardops nichollsi, Artibeus jamaicensis, Natalus stramineus, and Tadarida brasiliensis. The biological diversity of the chiropteran fauna on Nevis is similar to that found on other islands in the northern Lesser Antilles. Ecologically, this is a simple chiropteran fauna, including of one piscivore (N. leporinus), one omnivore (B. cavernarum), one pollenivore/nectivore (M. plethodon), two frugivores (A. nichollsi, A. jamaicensis), and three insectivorous species (N. stramineus, T. brasiliensis, Molossus molossus). Species-area and species-elevation analyses for the chiropteran fauna of the Greater and Lesser Antillean islands gave r2 -values of 0.74 and 0.33, respectively. In the species-area analysis the bat fauna of Nevis falls above the regression line and in the species-elevation analysis it falls almost on the line. The chiropteran fauna of Nevis lies outside the Lesser Antillean Faunal Core and would be best characterized as a generalized Lesser Antillean fauna that appears to be characteristic of the northern Lesser Antilles. - Scott C. Pedersen et al, South Dakota State University, 2007

Table 8: Bats of St.Kitts & Nevis

Common Fruit, or Leaf-nosed, Bat (Artibeus jamaicensis)	Recorded for St. Kitts and Nevis, but uncommon on both islands. Widespread in the Caribbean and Tropical.
Pig-faced, Rat, or Brown Flower, Bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum)	Antillean endemic, primarily Lesser Antilles, but also Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Common on both St. Kitts and Nevis. Vulnerable at their few roosting sites.
? Long-tongued fruit Bat (Monphyllus plethodon)	Lesser Antillean endemic. Listed in CCA/IRF (1991), but not found (or listed as ever having been found) by Morton et al. (1999). See note for species below.
Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)	Widely distributed in Neo and Tropical America, but low numbers in the country. Morton et al. (1999) did not find the species on St. Kitts, but did on Nevis. The listing in CCA/IRF (1991) of M. plethodon for St. Kitts probably is incorrect and should be for T. brasiliensis.
Fishing Bat (Noctilio leporinus)	Uncommon, Vulnerable. Listed for St. Kitts (CCA/IRF, 1991); not found by Morton et al. (1999) but believed by them to exist on both islands based on descriptions from residents.
Lesser Antillean Tree Bat (Ardops nichollsi)	Endemic to the LA. Found on St. Kitts in the 1999 survey, although its current status is unknown; Significant numbers discovered on Nevis in 2001 by S. Pedersen
? Myotis dominicensis	Not found (or listed as ever having been found) by Morton et al. (1999); but listed for St. Kitts in CCA/IRF (1991). Evidence of its existence on St. Kitts refuted by S. Pedersen after extensive survey work in area between 1999-2007
Natalus stramineus	Recorded on Nevis by S. Pedersen (2003)
Velvety House Bat (Molossus molossus)	Recorded for both St. Kitts and Nevis. Common, found under the roofing of houses. Can be seeking early at dusk and dawn hawking for insects over residential areas. Widespread in Tropical America.

Bats of Nevis (click to enlarge)

Common Fruit or Leaf-nosed bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) Photo by S. Pederen

Pig faced or Brown Flower bat (Brachyphylla caverarum)Photo by S. Pedersen

Long tongued fruit bat (Monphyllus pythodon)Photo by S. Pedersen

Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
(Tadarida brasiliensis) Photo by S. Pedersen

Fishing Bat
(Noctilio leporinus)

Photo by S. Pedersen

Lesser Antillean Tree Bat
(Ardops nichollsi) photo by S. Pedersen

Myotis dominicensis (photo by Michel Breuil)

Velvety House Bat
(Molossus molossus) Photo by S. Pedersen

Common Fruit or Leaf-nosed bat with young(Artibeus jamaicensis)

Mammalian introductions to Nevis include:

Agouti (Dasyprocta agouti)
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus)
Rats (Rattus rattus and R. norvegicus) and Mouse (Mus muscalus)
African Green (or Vervet) monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops)
Donkeys, goats and other domesticated animals

Specific details on these introduced species can be found at Non-Native Fauna

Biodiversity Implications
As noted above, bats are the only native mammals and the only mammalian group of biodiversity conservation concern. The three-month investigation of Morton and Courts (1999) resulted in detailed information on each of the species encountered, a field identification guide, and excellent recommendations regarding conservation. This initial survey was continued and expanded by S. Pedersen during his research in the area between 1999 and 2007.

As this website is very much a work in progress, we welcome any additional materials, photos, corrections or suggestions readers may have. We also plan on adding a dedicated photo gallery to highlight the "Flora & Fauna of Nevis" in-depth, and readers contributions are welcome!

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