Because of human interference, only 18 St. Lucia racers still remain in the wild

Jul 10, 2012 12:33 GMT  ·  By

Not long ago, St. Lucia racers were abundant in the Caribbean region. However, once humans began interfering with the natural balance in these islands, the snake population began to decline at a quick pace.

One of the most affected species was that St. Lucia racer, of which only 18 representatives still remain in the wild. This makes these particular reptiles one of the rarest animals on earth.

Apparently, Caribbean snakes were for the most part killed by mongooses back in the 19th century, when humans brought them here to help protect them against venomous species.

Jenny Daltry from Fauna and Flora International explains how, “Tens if not hundreds of West Indian animals have already been lost because humans have unwisely released harmful species from other parts of the world.”

In spite of this gloomy recent head-count, there is still hope that conservation projects might help save the St. Lucia racers from becoming extinct.