Animals in Haiti

Haiti's tropical climate makes it a perfect home for jungle dwelling animals and the several species known to be found only in Haiti. The jungles make it easy for Haiti to host many types of bats, snakes, frogs, birds, and insects who prefer a sheltered habitat. The waters surrounding Haiti are home to many types of fish which drives the coastal economy. There is also a wide variety of dolphins swimming the water that surrounds this small country.

In the jungles of Haiti, one can find certain species that do not live naturally on any other part of the globe. Some bat species native to Haiti include the greater bulldog bat, the sooty mustached bat, and Waterhouse's leaf-nosed bat. There are also several native species of reptiles like the tiburon banded racer and the Haitian pale-lipped blindsnake. The La Hotte whistling frog is an amphibian found only in the jungles of Haiti. Its whistling in the evening hours is described as pleasant by some and eerie by others.

Haiti's lack of animal conservation policy is cause of some concern. Some species once known to the area are no longer found there. Wild ducks, a type of wild boar, and guinea fowls are seemingly gone for good. While some flamingos live on Gonave Island, they are still being hunted and their numbers have decreased steadily over the years.

A major blow to Haiti's wildlife and their habitats came in the form of a catastrophic earthquake in 2010. Animal conservation groups continue to work to help these animals.