It took another sixty years after England gained control of the Cayman Islands in 1670, through the Treaty of Madrid, before a permanent settlement was established on the islands. The islands were governed as part of the Jamaican holdings, but were granted crown colony status when Jamaica became independent in 1962.
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Tadarida brasiliensis - With a range extending from the Southern United States, through most of Mexico and Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, the Mexican free-tailed bat is the most abundant mammal in the Americas. It is about 9 centimeters in length with females being slightly heavier. Although the legs are short, the feet are wide and have long white bristles growing from the outer toes. The coarse bristles are used for grooming their body hair. It is one of the fastest and highest flying bats in the world.
