¿Qué pasa Cozumel? - Island Wildlife

Cozumel is heralded as the original Caribbean destination in Mexico and is a top port of call for cruise ships.  Despite this, Cozumel remains an island that has an easy-going attitude with a laid-back personality and pleasant Mexican hospitality.  Surprisingly enough, this island is only 3% developed and still has vast stretches of pristine jungle and uninhabited shoreline.  It is home to a number of endemic species including birds like the Cozumel Thrasher, Cozumel Great Curassow, and Cozumel Vireo, and mammals such as the Cozumel Island Racoon and the Cozumel Island Coati.  Other species not native to the island include the American Crocodile and the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana.

The Cozumel Thrasher - This once common island species is believed to be on the brink of extinction, if not actually extinct.  Storms and introduced predators, such as cats and boa constrictors, are believed to have led to its demise.  Following Hurricane Gilbert, a Category Five hurricane, in September of 1988, this thrasher was declared rare.  Only a few sightings were recorded after another hurricane, Roxanne, in 1995.  In 2004, an ABC-sponsored research team located a single bird.  Since then, however, two Category Four hurricanes have hit Cozumel and much of the island's forest cover was demolished.  After that there have been only a couple of unconfirmed sightings made in 2006 and 2007, allowing for hope that remnant populations may persist in the jungle canopy.
  

Great Curassow (male)

  

Great Curassow (female)

Cozumel Emerald



Cozumel Vireo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cozumel Island Raccoon - This is smaller raccoon than those we have here in California, in both body and head.  It is easy to distinguish from our common raccoon because of its broad black throat band and golden yellow tail.  They like to live in the mangrove forests and wetlands at the northwest tip of the island.  Their overall diet consists of crabs, fruit, frogs, lizards, and insects; crabs being their favorite.

 

White-Nosed Coati

The Cozumel Island Coati  - Although very similar to the White-nosed Coati, the Cozumel Island Coati has shorter, softer fur and is much smaller.  It feeds on fruit and preys upon insects, and small vertebrates.

Both of these species' populations are at risk due to development.