Barbados Raccoon
Encyclopedia
The Barbados raccoon is an extinct
subspecies
of the common raccoon
(Procyon lotor), that was endemic on Barbados
in the Lesser Antilles
until 1964.
identified the Barbados raccoon as distinct species, a classification that has been challenged over the past years by other scientists, who assume that it was a subspecies
of the common raccoon
. This assumption was supported by a study of its morphological
and genetic analysis
in 2003 by Kristofer M. Helgen and Don E. Wilson, which indicated that the Barbados raccoon was introduced by humans just a few centuries ago. The study yielded the same result for the probably closely related subspecies Guadeloupe raccoon
and Bahaman raccoon
also living on West Indian islands. Therefore, the Barbados raccoon is listed as subspecies of the common raccoon in the third edition of Mammal Species of the World
published in 2005.
. The Barbados raccoon bears resemblance to the Guadeloupe raccoon, for example in the short and delicate skull and the dark gray coat with a slight ocher tint on the neck and shoulders. Similarly, only few guard hair
s cover the ground hair
s on the underparts. The mask is continuous across the face.
by the IUCN since its last sighting occurred in 1964, when one specimen was killed by a car on a road near Bathsheba. The only mounted specimen is exhibited at the Barbados Museum in the Garrison Historic Area
. According to a report of the IUCN in 1994, a pair of another species of raccoon has been introduced to Barbados
. Considering its small range, the Barbados raccoon was most likely never numerous except for the southern parts of the island. Habitat destruction
due to tourism
was probably one of the main causes for its extinction.
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the common raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
(Procyon lotor), that was endemic on Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
in the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
until 1964.
Classification
In 1950, Edward Alphonso GoldmanEdward Alphonso Goldman
Edward Alphonso Goldman was an American zoologist. He worked extensively in Mexico with Edward William Nelson and described and revised many groups of mammals....
identified the Barbados raccoon as distinct species, a classification that has been challenged over the past years by other scientists, who assume that it was a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the common raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
. This assumption was supported by a study of its morphological
Morphological analysis
Morphological Analysis or General Morphological Analysis is a method developed by Fritz Zwicky for exploring all the possible solutions to a multi-dimensional, non-quantified problem complex.-Overview:...
and genetic analysis
Genetic analysis
Genetic analysis can be used generally to describe methods both used in and resulting from the sciences of genetics and molecular biology, or to applications resulting from this research....
in 2003 by Kristofer M. Helgen and Don E. Wilson, which indicated that the Barbados raccoon was introduced by humans just a few centuries ago. The study yielded the same result for the probably closely related subspecies Guadeloupe raccoon
Guadeloupe Raccoon
The Guadeloupe raccoon is a subspecies of the common raccoon endemic on the two main islands Basse-Terre Island and Grande-Terre of Guadeloupe in the Lesser Antilles.- Classification :...
and Bahaman raccoon
Bahaman Raccoon
- Bahamian Raccoon :The Bahamian raccoon , also called Bahama raccoon or Bahamas raccoon, is a subspecies of the common raccoon endemic on the New Providence Island in the Bahamas.- Classification :...
also living on West Indian islands. Therefore, the Barbados raccoon is listed as subspecies of the common raccoon in the third edition of Mammal Species of the World
Mammal Species of the World
Mammal Species of the World, now in its 3rd edition, is a standard reference work in zoology giving descriptions and bibliographic data for the known species of mammals.An updated Third Edition of Mammal Species of the World was published late in 2005:...
published in 2005.
Description
Compared to an average sized common raccoon the Barbados raccoon is small, making it probably an example of insular dwarfismInsular dwarfism
Insular dwarfism, a form of phyletic dwarfism, is the process and condition of the reduction in size of large animals – typically mammals – when their population's range is limited to a small environment, primarily islands. This natural process is distinct from the intentional creation of dwarf...
. The Barbados raccoon bears resemblance to the Guadeloupe raccoon, for example in the short and delicate skull and the dark gray coat with a slight ocher tint on the neck and shoulders. Similarly, only few guard hair
Guard hair
Guard hairs are the longest, coarsest hairs in a mammal's coat, forming the topcoat . They taper to a point and protect the undercoat from the elements. They are often water repellent and stick out above the rest of the coat...
s cover the ground hair
Down hair
Down hairs, also called the ground hairs, are the very fine, fluffy hairs closest to the skin on some mammals. The hairs are short and crimped, which makes them highly efficient for trapping air and insulating the animal....
s on the underparts. The mask is continuous across the face.
Extinction
In 1996, the Barbados raccoon was classified as extinctExtinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
by the IUCN since its last sighting occurred in 1964, when one specimen was killed by a car on a road near Bathsheba. The only mounted specimen is exhibited at the Barbados Museum in the Garrison Historic Area
Garrison Historic Area
St. Ann's Garrison, or more commonly known as "The Garrison", is a small district located in the country of Barbados. This Garrison Historic Area is situated about 2-miles south of Heroes Square in the capital-city Bridgetown, and just west of the village of Hastings in the neighbouring parish of...
. According to a report of the IUCN in 1994, a pair of another species of raccoon has been introduced to Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. Considering its small range, the Barbados raccoon was most likely never numerous except for the southern parts of the island. Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
due to tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
was probably one of the main causes for its extinction.