Mammals of the Caribbean "Cubacyon transversidens" and "Indocyon caribensis". The small Asian mongoose ("Herpestes auropunctatus") has been widely introduced in the Caribbean from the 1870s onwards; it is known from Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Gonâve, Puerto Rico, Vieques, Saint Thomas, Saint John, Water Island, Lovango Cay, Tortola, Beef Island, Jost van Dyke, Saint Croix, Saint Martin, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Guadeloupe, La Désirade, Marie Galante, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Carriacou, Grenada, Barbados, and Trinidad. Artiodactyls include deer, antelope, cattle, pigs, camels, and related species, as well as whales and dolphins. A small form of the collared peccary ("Pecari tajacu") is known from Cozumel. The
Martinique south Atlantic coast. The Caribbean, or "leeward" coast of Martinique is much more favorable to sea traffic. In addition to waters off of the leeward coast being shielded from the harsh Atlantic trade winds by the island, the sea bed itself descends steeply from the shore. This ensures that most potential hazards are too deep underwater to be an issue, and it also prevents the growth of corals that could otherwise pose a threat to passing ships. The north of the island is mountainous. It features four ensembles of "pitons" (volcanoes) and "mornes" (mountains): the Piton Conil on the extreme