Fauna

Caribbean islands are known for their random animals. Most are not native. Some are blown in by hurricanes, some were brought by colonists for various reasons; either way, there are unusual, unique animals that you can catch a glimpse of almost anywhere (even the post office) that make their presence so special. They are fun to see! Take a look below at a few of the animals that call St. Croix home.

Looking for birds? Check out our St. Croix Bird watching page here.

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Don't be suprised to see an iguana or two while on St. Croix. These big boys love St. Croix's warm weather. Don't worry, they are harmless.

Bats

Right at dusk, you can catch glimpses of these fast-flying mammals. They fly out from under roof eaves, caves, and even abandoned structures to feed on insects; which really helps keeps the mosquito population down! If you are relaxing by the pool, you might even see them skim the water. No need to be afraid, our bats are strictly vegetarian and have no interest in sucking your blood.

Chickens

A.K.A. Yard Birds. These cluckers are pretty much feral and run amuck all over the island. You'll see them in town, hens with chicks, roosters crowing. Some locals do care and feed for them, and even collect their eggs and provide a safe place to roost. For the most part, it is just plain fun so catch a glimpse of these crazy birds.

Deer

Yep, deer on the island. They were brought here in the 1700’s for sport. No hunting is allowed of these gentle animals. They exist from the east to the west ends of St. Croix and are much smaller than their stateside cousins.

Donkeys

Donkeys were brought here by colonists from under every flag. They are traditionally work animals. On St. John, you might be awakened in the middle of the night by the breigh of a feral donkey wandering in the bush. On St. Croix, no feral donkeys, but you can see them during parades and even Donkey Races!

Gecko, Anole

Commonly referred to as a House Gecko; they are EVERYWHERE on St. Croix! Geckos are cute, fun to watch and totally harmless. In fact, people allow them to stay in their homes because they eat the bugs!

Hermit Crabs

First thing's first: do not take these cute crustaceans home to keep as a pet. They live here for a reason. When the animal that lives inside the hard shell grows, he searches for and moves into a new, larger home! You can find hermit crabs on the outskirts of the beach, but also in thick vegetation areas known as The Bush. You’ll here them walking and rolling down the hills if you hike in the rainforest.

Iguanas

Look in trees, mangroves and scurrying across the road for this pre-historic looking reptile. Iguanas are native to the Caribbean where they like the sun and warm waters just as much as you do! Babies are brightly colored and FAST! Adult males can be dark green or blue and can grow up to six feet long. Females tend to be less colorful in grays and browns. On St. Croix, you most likely find iguanas at Tamarind Beach and Salt River. Please do not feed them; just observe them from afar!

Mongoose

Oh, our curious little mascot! You’ll catch these quick little rodents scurrying across the road, or even taunting an iguana. Mongoose were brought to the island to eradicate the rat problem. Well, problem was, rats were nocturnal (they like the night time) and mongoose are diurnal (they like the day time); which means that little plan didn’t work out so well. What did end up happening was that the mongoose wiped out the snake population on St. Croix; which ironically was their original purpose in places like India, where they would hunt and kill King Cobras!

Mosquitoes

Uggh, it is the harsh reality. We have the little blood sucking boogers. Mosquitoes are usually prevalent after big rains, and feed at dawn and dusk. But don’t fret; come prepared! Bring your favorite non-aerosol bug spray, bug repellant wipes, garlic water or what ever concoction you desire just in case you think you might be a target. Most hotels, bars and restaurants on St. Croix can provide repellant if you need it. Keep a fan running at night to circulate the air. (no image available)

Sorry- no image available of these tiny little biters.

No-See-Ums

This is the official, technical term for little nat-like bugs that you can’t see, but you can certainly feel! They itch like the devil and like damp, moist, low-lying outside areas. You might also encounter noseeums on the beach around dusk. Wear long pants when dining at certain outside restaurants. They are also referred to as Sandflys. (no image available)

Senepol Cattle

This beautiful species of cattle is native to St. Croix. The feed on the lush green hills on the west end of the island. You can read the history of how they came about here; what what is most important about this breed is that it can stand up to island conditions such as drought and heat. Two major cattle farms still exist on St. Croix,Castle Nugent Farm and Annaly Farm.

Sphinx Moth Caterpillars

An full grown larvae can grow up to 10 inches long! Amazingly, when they develop into their adult stage of a moth, they are small and brownish in color. I guess they are making up for it in this larvae stage. Either way, they are pretty cool to see, but not so cool when they eat all the leaves off your Frangi Pangi trees!