Check out our top 8 weird and wonderful animals in the Grenadines. They range from tiny frogs and birds, to huge lizards and unusual sea creatures! If you join us for a sailing course or charter we’ll make sure you get to discover some awesome Caribbean wildlife.
Animals in the Grenadines – A Biodiverse Archipelago
Grenada and the Grenadines has a wide biodiversity of species that are either native or have been introduced to the islands. There are so many interesting creatures here in the Caribbean that it was difficult to narrow it down to the top 8 that we regularly see around the islands.
Credit: Stuart Ramsay
1. Iguana
These awesome creatures can grow to 2 metres long and weigh upwards from 9 kg. You can see iguanas on all of the islands in this area, although they can be pretty elusive. They are herbivores and great swimmers which is why they are often found near to water.
They use “head bobbing” to communicate and if you get too close they will warn you off with a “hiss”. They have sharp claws and teeth so heed their warning signs!
Our favourite place to see them in the wild is in the Tobago Cays Marine Park – that’s Chao Lay in the background.
Credit: mvhunt.net
2. Hummingbird
Up to 9 different species of hummingbird have been recorded in Grenada and the surrounding islands. These delicate and mesmerising birds are a joy to watch as they feed on the nectar from flowers and small insects.
These tiny Caribbean birds only grow up to 10 cm and weigh at a maximum 5 g.
To see them in the wild, go on one of the many walks in the Grenadines or simply sit in the shade of a flowering tree and wait.
Credit: Polly Philipson
3. Conch
The queen conch is a marine mollusk that is prized for its edible meat and beautiful shell. Queen conchs can reach 40 years old, achieving full size at about 3-5 years of age. They grow to a maximum of 30 cm long and weighing around 2-3 kg.
Snorkellers and divers can watch them slowly “walking” along the sandy seabed. Peering out with their stalk eyes and foraging with their trunk-like mouth.
Visit one of our favourite snorkelling spots to see them in their natural habitat.
Credit: Wikipedia
4. Mongoose
The small Asian mongoose was introduced to Caribbean islands in 1872 to combat rats and snakes on sugarcane plantations. Unfortunately, mongoose are active during the day and rats are nocturnal so it turned out to be a pointless species introduction.
Mongoose eat crabs, snakes, eggs, frogs and plants; thriving on these islands to the point of becoming a pest themselves. They also carry rabies so don’t get too close!
If you are lucky you might spot one foraging in the bush if you are staying on Grenada.
Credit: Stuart Ramsay
5. Manicou
Manicou is the local name for an opossum in the Grenadines. These marsupials can live for up to four years and are highly adapted survivors.
If they are scared they will growl or hiss and possibly even play dead, emitting a foul smell. Manicou are nocturnal, meaning that you need to secure your rubbish bins on land – otherwise they will have a midnight party!
Stay up late and watch them ashore on PSV and the Grenadines.
Credit: Polly Philipson
6. Lettuce Sea Slug
The lettuce sea slug is a species of sap sucking marine slug that spends its life crawling over coral reefs and boulders.
It is named after the frilly side appendages on its body that cause it to resemble a lettuce. These sea slugs can be blue, green or yellow in tint.
They grow up to 8 cm long.
We love watching them make their way around the reef in some of our favourite scuba diving spots in the Grenadines.
Credit: Polly Philipson
7. Tree Frogs
Johnstone’s whistling frog and the Highland piping frog are the two species of tree frog that we have here in Grenada and the Grenadines.
They are nocturnal and create a wonderful “chirping” sound throughout the night. If it has been raining then they really reach a crescendo!
You may see them in the rainforest or bush, but occasionally they venture into bathrooms at night. I even found one in my empty teacup!
Credit: Stuart Ramsay
8. Red Legged Tortoise
The red legged tortoise is a great Caribbean animal that you can find in these islands. They potter along very slowly and often you find tiny little juveniles too.
They are quite social creatures and very intelligent with good memory. The Grenada red legged tortoise grows to around 30-40 cm at the most.
You can find them on all the islands in the Antilles chain but we love to see them hanging out in the Tobago Cays.