18/08/2026
Kind of Chic to be an animal on St. John.
Bats are the only mammals native to the US Virgin Islands, and the red fig-eating bat is only found in Puerto Rico and the USVI.
The lobed star coral is a type of animal that grows in large lobes that form many crevices creating incredible habitat for all sorts of other animals.
The white-lipped frogs live near where water collects and create "pink, pink, pink" noises adding to the nighttime ensemble.
The American kestrel is small but mighty, having been observed chasing off red-tailed hawks twice their size to maintain territory.
The Nassau grouper was almost fished to extinction but has made an amazing recovery. 10-20 years ago it was almost impossible to spot one on a snorkel, but now it is likely to see one every time.
The soldier crab is known to "meet up" with other soldier crabs and exchange shells when they need a bigger size. A sort of, shell swapping party, if you will.
And finally, cushion stars can regrow their limbs if they lose one to a predator. Sometimes, during the regeneration process, the sea star may grow back TWO limbs causing it to become quite symmetrical with six legs.
