Hispaniolan Solenodon

Insectivorous mammal, endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola and in danger of extinction. It is considered a living fossil, since its ancestors existed 60 million years ago. It measures about 30 cm. long, and 15-25 cm. from the tail. It is nocturnal and its closest relative is not found in the Americas, but in Madagascar, the Tenrec. It feeds almost exclusively on invertebrates, which it searches for by digging with its long trunk-like snout. More info…

Conservation status: ENDANGERED