Land mammals🐗

The Caribbean in general does not have many land species, and the Dominican Republic is no exception. Most of the mammals you see in the country today - dogs, cats, pigs, boars, horses, rats and mice - were introduced by the Europeans. In fact, there are only two endemic land mammals in Hispaniola. The solenodon is an insectivore not dissimilar to a rat, but more aesthetically pleasing. It has a long snout, lives in caves and hollow tree trunks, and feeds on insects and worms. The hutia is another small rodent which, like the solenodon, lives in caves and tree trunks. The chances of spotting either of these animals on your travels are slim: firstly, because they are nocturnal creatures; secondly, because some believe that they might already be extinct.

solenodon