Toxic Plants Potentially Impacting the Health Status of Livestock in St. Kitts-A Surveillance Study

Tropical regions are characterized by exceptional biodiversity, including extremely diverse flora. Many plants produce chemical compounds that function as defense mechanisms, some of which are toxic to mammals, including livestock species. However, documentation of toxic plants in the Caribbean region remains limited. The present study aimed to identify toxic and potentially toxic plant species affecting livestock on the island of Saint Christopher (St. Kitts) through surveys of a representative number of farms across all nine parishes. An extensive literature review was performed in order to characterize the local flora and to identify plant species with known or suspected toxic potential. Farm visits were conducted using a structured surveillance questionnaire developed by the authors. During these visits, representative photographs of commonly encountered toxic plants were taken. The identified plant species were classified according to the chemical nature of their active ingredient, and their main clinical effects were described. Ten plant species (Abrus precatorius, Senna occidentalis, Catharanthus roseus, Crotalaria retusa, Datura stramonium, Manihot esculenta, Mimosa pudica, Nerium oleander, Nicotiana tabacum and Ricinus communis) were found to be widespread throughout the island and have been documented in the literature as toxic to livestock. By knowing the distribution of these species, high-risk areas and pastures can be identified, thereby supporting targeted prevention and more effective management of future plant-associated toxicosis outbreaks.