Bahamian Hutia
CR

Bahamian Hutia

Geocapromys ingrahami

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahamian_hutia

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Bahamian hutia faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from coastal development and tourism infrastructure expansion across its limited island range. Introduced predators, particularly feral cats and dogs, pose a significant threat to this ground-dwelling rodent, while invasive plant species alter the native vegetation communities it depends upon for food and shelter. Hurricane damage to critical habitat areas has further reduced available refugia for the remaining fragmented populations.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Bahamian hutia inhabits dry limestone forests, coastal scrublands, and rocky crevices throughout the Bahama Islands. It prefers areas with dense native vegetation that provide both food sources and protective cover from predators.

Shrubland· majorDesert· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies managementSpecies recoverySpecies reintroduction

Frequently asked questions

Why is Bahamian Hutia classified as Critically Endangered?
Bahamian Hutia is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Bahamian hutia faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from coastal development and tourism infrastructure expansion across its limited island range. Introduced predators, particularly feral cats and dogs, pose a significant threat to this ground-dwelling rodent, while invasive plant species alter the native vegetation communities it depends upon for food and shelter. Hurricane damage to critical habitat areas has further reduced available refugia for the remaining fragmented populations.
Where does Bahamian Hutia live?
Bahamian Hutia occurs in Bahamas. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Bahamian Hutia?
The main threats to Bahamian Hutia are 12.1, 5.1, 8.1, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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