Bermuda is a small archipelago located in the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately 640 miles east of the coast of North Carolina. This territory is built upon a submerged volcanic platform capped by layers of limestone and surrounded by an extensive coral reef system. Due to its extreme isolation from continental landmasses, the island’s native fauna arrived primarily through chance dispersal via ocean currents and wind. This unique geographic history has resulted in a relatively small but highly distinctive collection of animals, including a notable number of endemic species.
Marine Life in the Surrounding Reefs
Bermuda’s marine environment is defined by the world’s northernmost coral reef system, sustained by the warm Gulf Stream and the influence of the surrounding Sargasso Sea. These reefs support a high diversity of tropical fish, despite their location north of the typical coral zone. The shallow, clear waters are populated by vibrant species such as the Blue Parrotfish, which plays a role in sand production, and the Queen Angelfish.
The surrounding ocean is deeply connected to the Sargasso Sea, a vast area defined by floating brown seaweed, Sargassum. Mats of this algae drift to the island, providing a critical nursery habitat for marine life, including juvenile sea turtles and larval fish species. Three species of sea turtles regularly frequent Bermuda’s waters: the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), the Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta), and the Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). These large reptiles use the island’s seagrass meadows for foraging and growth.
Seasonal visitors include the Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), which migrates past the island in the early spring months. These marine mammals are often sighted near the southern shore in March and April as they travel toward their northern feeding grounds. The deep waters plunge rapidly just beyond the reef platform, creating a vast offshore habitat for numerous pelagic species, including deepwater fish like bristlemouths and viperfish.
Notable Avian Species and Migratory Birds
The island’s most celebrated animal is the Bermuda Petrel, or Cahow (Pterodroma cahow), a nocturnal seabird once thought to be extinct for over three centuries. This gadfly petrel was rediscovered in 1951 with only 18 nesting pairs remaining on a few small, rocky islets. Intensive conservation efforts, including the use of artificial nesting burrows and the translocation of chicks, have been crucial in its slow recovery.
The Cahow population has steadily increased due to these protective measures, growing to 132 breeding pairs by 2019. The island is also home to the more numerous White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus), locally known as the Longtail, which is the island’s most common remaining seabird. The Longtail is a summer resident that nests in cliff-side cavities and is known for its elegant flight and long, streaming tail feathers.
Bermuda’s isolated position makes it a significant stopover point for migratory birds traveling the Atlantic Flyway between North and South America. Numerous species of waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds use the island as a temporary rest and refueling location during their long oceanic journeys. This influx of transient avian life adds seasonal diversity to the resident bird population, which also includes the endemic Bermuda White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus bermudianus).
Terrestrial Reptiles and Invertebrates
The island’s only native terrestrial vertebrate is the Bermuda Skink (Plestiodon longirostris), a small, lizard-like reptile often called the Rock Lizard. This endemic species is endangered and survives primarily in rocky coastal habitats and on the protected Castle Harbour islands. The skink is a ground-dweller that preys on small insects and coastal crustaceans, facing threats from habitat loss and introduced predators like rats and cats.
The landscape is also populated by several species of introduced lizards, most notably the numerous Anoles, such as the Jamaican Anole (Anolis grahami), which are now highly visible throughout the island. Introduced amphibians also thrive, including the Whistling Tree Frog (Eleutherodactylus johnstonei), whose loud night calls are a distinctive sound of the Bermudian evening. These non-native species often compete with the native skink for resources and habitat.
A range of invertebrates inhabit the land, including the native land crabs and the once-present Bermuda Cicada. The endemic cicada became extinct following the widespread loss of the native Bermuda Juniper forest. Endemic land snails of the genus Poecilozonites were also dramatically reduced by the introduction of non-native predators.