Business Risks: Mammals

While I have encountered on my property the porcupine, opossum, armadillo, and even had a visit from a howler monkey after hurricane Richard, I am not sure what damage they do, although when they do visit I enjoy them for the brief moment. We’ve had visits from the tapir passing through and lots of raccoon and deer tracks. The animal however that is the greatest threat is the two legged one, as they pick my coconuts before I do, fish in my ponds ( I have found fishing lines, old tennis shoes etc.) However as I have recently planted 650 cashew plants and the coconuts are bearing I have to take mitigation measures to prevent losses over the next two to three years.

The one mammal that I have not mentioned is the bat. While they invaded my attic and had to make various improvements to my roof, I was not aware that they were also a threat to my tilapia fingerlings. I was briefed in Merida at a Tilapia farm that they were forced to cover their tanks with the fingerlings with mesh due to protect them. They mainly swoop down at night so with open ponds there is no protection from the merciless onslaught.