The Jamaican cooney (Geocapromys brownie) also known as the Jamaican Hutia or the Brown’s Hutia, is endemic to only Jamaica. The Jamaican hutia was once plentiful and a staple in the diet of Jamaica's native people, the Arawak Indians. According to hutia remains found in
Arawak middens, the hutia once covered most of the southern part of the island, as well as at least the Parish of St. Ann in the north. However, continued human hunting pressure and the introduction of the mongoose (Herpestes griseus) in 1872 and most likely feral dogs had
confined it to the south-east of the island, particularly the John Crow Mountains and Hellshire Hills. The behavior of hutias is poorly understood. The species seem to live and migrate in pairs, as hunters will often trap two (male and female) at a time and dig burrows where they spend
most of their time. They are often linked with limestone areas for some reason (R. A. Mittermeie,
2021).
Photo Source: https://animals.fandom.com/wiki/Jamaican_Coney
