Monkeys in the Dominican Republic? No—But Unique Mammals Exist

No native monkeys inhabit the Dominican Republic (or Hispaniola). The island's native land mammals are limited to:

• Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus) — venomous, insectivorous, "living fossil" (split 76 Mya)
• Hispaniolan hutia (Plagiodontia aedium) — large rodent, arboreal, endangered
• Bats — 18+ species (only native placental mammals to colonize naturally)

The original answer incorrectly listed two solenodon species. Haitian solenodon (S. marcanoi) is a junior synonym—same species. The Cuban solenodon (S. cubanus) is separate, in Cuba.

Monkeys (capuchins, macaques, etc.) are introduced in some Caribbean islands (St. Kitts, Barbados, Puerto Rico) but not established in DR. Feral populations exist on Mona Island (PR) and St. Croix (USVI).

Hispaniola's mammalian poverty reflects its deep-water isolation since the Cretaceous—no land bridge, no monkey rafting.