The West Indies harbor many different types (species) of plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. They are rapidly disappearing because of demands on the environment, especially the felling of trees, due to a high human population density. It is important to find out how many species exist and where they are located on the islands os that conservation areas, such as national parks, can be established to protect them. The four largest islands in the Caribbean basin, the Greater Antilles, have the greatest number of unique species. This research involves exploration of poorly known areas and identification of the herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles), which are the most abundant and diverse of the land animals with backbones (vertebrates).
