Anguilla’s Native Wildlife

New York-based managing director Thomas Edison Kelly travels back and forth between the U.S. and his native home of Anguilla. In addition to his role at the New York brokerage firm Aegis Capital, Thomas Edison Kelly serves as an unofficial tourism ambassador for the Caribbean island where he was born, which is known for its pristine coastline and diverse wildlife.

Though Anguilla is less than 40 square miles, the island is home to more than 150 bird species. The land is sparse, so land animals are somewhat less diverse. Anguilla’s terrain is mostly inhabited by goats, iguanas, and geckos.

The black amevia and the sombrero ground lizard are only found on one Anguillan island. There are ongoing efforts to curb the impact of invasive species populations, which have disrupted the habitat of native land animals.

Under its waters, Anguilla offers immense biodiversity. There are seven protected marine parks, which offer refuge for species such as the sea turtle and fragile coral reefs. Divers can also observe nurse sharks, parrotfish, and barracuda.