Cuban Manatee Faces Extinction Risk

Why this is here: 34 species of terrestrial mollusks in Cuba are classified as vulnerable, while another 31 are considered critically endangered, making them the most threatened group of land invertebrates on the island.

Scientists in Cuba’s Zapata Swamp are working to save the manjuarí fish, an endemic species listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2020. Cuba ranks among the world’s ten most biodiverse islands, yet 157 species of vertebrates are threatened—52 critically endangered, 42 endangered, and 63 vulnerable—according to a 2019 report. Isbel Díaz Torres, a Cuban biologist, notes that formal protections are insufficient without active science, consistent monitoring, and public involvement.

Several projects attempt to bridge this gap. UNESCO’s MangRes project restores mangrove ecosystems, while Manglar Vive focuses on reforestation along Mayabeque’s coastline. The Rufford Foundation supports conservation of the Polymita sulphurosa snail, vulnerable to habitat loss.

However, Cuban science remains fully state-controlled, hampered by economic crisis, institutional collapse, and a brain drain of scientists. This limits effective prioritization of biodiversity, and lasting solutions require greater transparency and community participation. The work to understand and protect Cuba’s species continues.