©Mygale Matoutou cliff hiking Morne-Vert Martinique|MDES

Endemic speciesof Martinique

Endemic species of Martinique

Did you know? The fauna and flora of Martinique has several endemic species. Animals and plants that you will not see anywhere else…

The Wildlife

The birds

The Martinique Oriole(Icterus bonana)is the only bird strictly endemic to Martinique. Easily recognizable thanks to its black and tan orange plumage, it belongs to the blackbird family. Other birds are endemic to the Lesser Antilles, that is, they are found in other neighboring islands. This is the case of the White-throated hummingbird(Ramphocinclus brachyurus) which lives on the Caravelle peninsula and the Blue-headed hummingbird(Riccordia bicolor). This is the rarest of the 4 hummingbirds present in our country, it can be observed on the massifs of Mount Pelee and the Pitons of Carbet.

©Oriole of Martinique Endemic bird Martinique|Frantz Delcroix

©White-throated mockingbird Endemic birds Martinique

©Blue-headed hummingbird Endemic to Martinique|Frantz Delcroix

©Matoutou cliff spider Endemic to Martinique|Shutterstock

Spiders

The Matoutou cliff(Caribena versicolor)is “our national mygale,” typical of mesophilic and sometimes hygrophilic forests. It is often found in the north of the island. It has a reinforced protection status because it is sought by collectors around the world and has been a victim of trafficking. It is not dangerous but we prefer to observe it from a distance!

Reptiles

The Lesser Antillean Iguana (Iguana delicatissima) as its name suggests is endemic to the Lesser Antilles. This protected species can be observed on the Chancel Islet. Further north, it is also found in Dominica, Desirade, Petite Terre (the largest population) and St. Barthélemy.

TheTrigonocephalus snake(Bothrops lanceolatus), also called Fer-de-lance, is the only animal on the island that is lethally dangerous to humans, and is also a snake strictly endemic to Martinique. It lives in wooded areas and comes out mostly at night. Rest assured bites are rare and all pharmacies have an antidote in the fridge! The Courtesy Snake(Erythrolamprus cursor) is a snake also endemic to Martinique…

TheMabouya, small whitish pink lizard is endemic to Martinique. It is found in houses, on the ceiling, behind paintings, under verandas…

©Iguana Iguana delicatissima Ilet Chancel Robert Martinique

©Trigonocephalus Spearhead Snake Endemic to Martinique|Shutterstock

Other less popular endemic species are of interest to conservationists: 22 species of mollusks, bats (such as the Martinique murine(Myotis martiniquensis)), a small frog the Martinique allobate(Allobates chalcopis). A very small snail considered extinct on the IUCN red list was even found in a sector of Fond Saint Denis. It is the rarest snail in the world!

Discover all the other animals of Martinique

The vegetables too!

Martinique has the highest rate of endemic species in the Lesser Antilles because it has the oldest land in the region, such as the Caravelle peninsula. About 40 species of endemic plants are present, some of which exist only in our territory: the Boule montagne (Lobelia conglobata) flower, emblem of the Martinique Botanical Conservatory, the Ananas bois (Aechmea reclinata), a shrub of the bromeliad family, the Raisinier de la Caravelle (Coccoloba caravellae), dry forest tree of about 3 to 10 meters only present on the Presqu’île de la Caravelle.

©Caravelle grape tree Endemic to Martinique|J Touroult

Boulemontagne Endemic Flower Martinique — ©Endemic Flower Mountain Ball Martinique|César Delnatte

©Pineapple Wood Endemic Plant Martinique

Discover all the other plants and flowers of Martinique