Mammals
Mammals are a poorly represented group on the island, composed almost entirely of introduced species. The Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus), House Mouse (Mus musculus), European Hare (Lepus europaeus), Indian Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus), and Green monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops sabaeus) are the most notable examples. Pigs were introduced by the Portuguese in 1563 as a future food source; the introduction was successful and a feral pig population persisted up until the point of British settlement of the island, after which they became extirpated.
The now extinct Barbados Raccoon (Procyon gloveralleni) is considered to have been endemic to the island; however even this species may have been introduced by Amerindians in pre-historic times. There is also some indication that the Barbados Raccoon was in fact a subspecies of the Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor), rather than a distinct species.
The only remaining native mammals are a number of bat species; the most common of which is the Velvety Free-tailed Bat (Molossus molossus), which emerges at dusk to feed on insects.
A breed of Sheep known as the Barbados Blackbelly sheep originated in Barbados, it has been exported to various nations around the world including the United States where it is sometimes called affectionately "Barbado Sheep".
Marine mammals are not frequently seen in Barbadian waters; some species however, particularly Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), are occasionally seen offshore.
Feral Dogs and Cats, introduced by Humans, also occur on the island.
Read more about this topic: Fauna Of Barbados