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ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of Jamaica
Jamaica [755]
Group: Archipelago: Greater Antilles
Country: Jamaica Region: Caribbean Sea
Lat: 18.20º N Long : 77.25º W
Area: 11189.6 sq. km Altitude: 2256 m
Shoreline: 693.7 km (scale 1:1404000) Coastal Index: 0.0620
Depth to nearest land: 1000 m
Nearest island: 150 km group: 150 km
Nearest continent: North America Distance: 650 km Isolation Index: 50
ISLAND TYPE: continental Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
CLIMATE: wet tropical 13-27øC, ave.1958 mm, +3300 mm
WATER BALANCE: variable from arid to wet from orographic rainfall
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: cyclones frequent with major damage
Threat Indicator: 1
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 10 Marine: 4
Coral reefs, Mangroves
Percent of land: Forested: 6% Developed: 0% Degraded: 0%
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
3582 |
912 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
116 |
17 |
2 |
| Land snails |
450 |
17 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
61 |
44 |
5 |
| Land birds |
0 |
26 |
5 |
| Mammals |
0 |
4 |
1 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
3003 flowering plant species, 830 (28%) endemic
579 ferns, 82 (14%) endemic
Invertebrates:
Metapaulia depressa (Bromeliad Crab) endemic
116 butterflies, 17 endemic
Papilio homerus (Homerus Swallowtail Butterfly) endemic, restricted to
endemic plants in two areas, Endangered (RDB, CITES 1)
Eurytides (Protesilaus) marcellinus (Jamaican Kite Swallowtail)
endemic,
Vulnerable
450 land snails, 17 endemic
Pleurodonte (16 endemic species)
Annularian pulchrum, endemic, collected
Freshwater fishes:
Cubanicthys pengellei (minnow) endemic
Cyprinodon jamaicensis (minnow) endemic
Reptiles/amphibians:
20 endemic amphibians, including:
Eleutherodactylus cavernicola (cave frog) endemic, in two caves
Eleutherodactylus junori (frog) endemic, rare in 3 localities
Eleutherodactylus sisyphodemus (frog) endemic, 2 localities
27 endemic reptiles, including:
Celestus occiduus (Giant Galliwasp) endemic, presumed extinct
Celestus, 5 other very localized endemic species
Cyclura collei (Jamaican Ground Iguana) endemic, nearly extinct
Crocodylus acutus (American Crocodile) Endangered, present on south
coast
Birds:
26 endemic birds, including:
Columba caribaea (Ring-tailed Pigeon) endemic, forested hills
Geotrygon versicolor (Crested Quail Dove) endemic in forests,
declining
Amazona collaria (Yellow-billed Parrot) endemic
Amazona agilis (Black-billed Parrot) endemic
Dendrocygna arborea (West Indian Whistling Duck) Vulnerable (RDB)
Falco peregrinus tundrius (Tundra Peregrine Falcon) Endangered (RDB)
Columba inornata exigua (Jamaican Plain Pigeon) Indeterminate (RDB)
Kalochelidon euchrysea euchrysea (Jamaican Golden Swallow)
Indeterminate
(RDB)
Mammals:
3 endemic bats:
Artibeus flavescens (bat) endemic
Phyllonycteris aphylla (bat) endemic
Eptesicus lynni (bat) endemic
Geocapromys brownii (Jamaican Hutia) endemic, Indeterminate
Trichechus manatus (Caribbean Manatee) Vulnerable
Marine life:
65 species of corals
38 gorgonians
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 5 Marine: 3
very rich
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 6 Group: 6
high
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 1
seabird rookeries, some turtle nesting areas, manatees
at least 9 breeding seabirds
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 3
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, capital city Kingston
Population: 2336000 (1985) Density: 208.8 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 1.1%/yr Increasing slowly
Major Human Activities: bauxite mining, sugar, bananas,, tourism
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Most lowland areas cleared, development continuing in
uplands, Bauxite mining
Habitat: Urban Pop: 260000 Urban Indicator: 1
Accessibility: port, airport Annual tourist arrivals: 600000
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 37% Human Threat Indicator: 1
Gross Domestic Product: $ 867 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 0
Conservation support: government support
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 0
Number: 3 Area: Terrestrial: 0.0 sq. km Marine: 3 sq. km
Blue Mountain/John Crow Mountain National Park
Montego Bay Marine Park (50 ha)
Ocho Rios Marine Park (265 ha)
DATA RELIABILITY: good Data Rel. Indicator: 3
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 12
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 31 Very high
CI-Marine: 11 Moderate
REFERENCES:
Johnson, Timothy H. 1988. Biodiversity and conservation in the
Caribbean:
profiles of selected islands. ICBP Monograph No. 1. International
Council
for Bird Preservation, Cambridge. 144 p.
Last updated: 11/11/89
Morant Cays [1556]
Group: Archipelago: Greater Antilles
Country: Jamaica Region: Caribbean Sea
Lat: 17.43º N Long : 75.90º W
Area: 0.0 sq. km Altitude: 5 m
Submerged area <100 m: 100 sq. km Reef area: 0 sq. km Lagoon area: 0 sq. km
Depth to nearest land: 1000 m
Nearest island: 60 km group: 60 km
Nearest continent: South America Distance: 700 km Isolation Index: 42
ISLAND TYPE: low coral Natural Protection Indicator: 2
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Four small coral islets on highly exposed reefs 7 km long
along ridge rising from 1000 m
CLIMATE: tropical
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: cyclones
Threat Indicator: 1
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 1 Marine: 2
Sparse land vegetation, extensive coral reefs and windward
lagoon 3-5 m with rich coral on back reefs and knolls (CRD)
Percent shoreline: Coral Reef: 99% Mangrove: 0%
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
2 |
0 |
1 |
| Land birds |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Mammals |
0 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 3
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 0
seabird rookery, turtle nesting area
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Uninhabited, visited seasonally by fishermen
Population: 0 Density: 0.0 persons/sq. km
Maximum known population: 100
Major Human Activities: fishing, egg collecting
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Some effects from fishermen's camp on North East Cay
Habitat: temporary camp Urban Pop: 0 Urban Indicator: 0
Conservation support: tenure, government support, legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 8
Number: 1 Area: Terrestrial: 0.0 sq. km Marine: 120 sq. km
Morant Cays Managed Area (120 km})
DATA RELIABILITY: good Data Rel. Indicator: 3
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 5 Low
CI-Marine: 10 Moderate
REFERENCES:
Last updated: 11/11/89
Pedro Cays - including Blower and Portland Rocks [1557]
Group: Archipelago: Greater Antilles
Country: Jamaica Region: Caribbean Sea
Lat: 17.00º N Long : 77.66º W
Area: 0.3 sq. km Altitude: 5 m
Land < 5 m elevation: 0.3 sq. km Sea level rise risk: 9
Submerged area <100 m: 8000 sq. km Reef area: 0 sq. km Lagoon area: 0 sq. km
Depth to nearest land: 1000 m
Nearest island: 100 km group: 100 km
Nearest continent: South America Distance: 700 km Isolation Index: 46
ISLAND TYPE: low coral Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Four coral cays on triangular bank 70 km by 43 km, 5-40 m deep
CLIMATE: tropical
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: cyclones
Threat Indicator: 1
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 1 Marine: 2
Sparse land vegetation; coral reefs, sand and rubble bottoms
Percent shoreline: Coral Reef: 99% Mangrove: 0%
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
6 |
0 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Land birds |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Mammals |
0 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 3
few
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 0
seabird rookery, probable turtle nesting area
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 1
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, fishermen's camp
Population: 0 Density: 0.0 persons/sq. km
Major Human Activities: fishing
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Habitat: camp Urban Pop: 0 Urban Indicator: 0
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 99% Human Threat Indicator: 3
Gross Domestic Product: $ 867 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 0
Conservation support: tenure, government support, legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 7 Marine: 7
Number: 1 Area: Terrestrial: 0.3 sq. km Marine: 8000 sq. km
Pedro Bank and Cays Managed Area (land 27 ha, marine 8000 km})
DATA RELIABILITY: good Data Rel. Indicator: 3
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 4
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 3 Low
CI-Marine: 8 Moderate
REFERENCES:
Last updated: 11/11/89
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Page last updated: 09/05/10