The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) will support the conservation of the Cuban crocodile in the Zapata Swamp through satellite tags, in an effort to protect this threatened endemic species.
Announced in Havana, the project seeks to finance the monitoring of the Crocodylus rhombiferexclusive to the Ciénaga de Zapata, Matanzas, whose survival faces risks due to climate change and human activity, according to Latin Press (PL).
Satellite tags, managed through donations on the platform Every.orgwill allow tracking the movements of crocodiles, identifying optimal habitats and improving the release of specimens bred in captivity.
This initiative, led by specialists Etiam Pérez and Gustavo Sosa, with more than 25 years of experience, combines efforts from the Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation, Ecocienzap, the Cuban Crocodile Specialist Group and the UNDP, with technical support from BIOFIN and Citma.
The program not only protects a key species, but also drives economic benefits for local communities by strengthening ecotourism.
According to a publication from the National Zoological Park, the greatest danger this species faces is habitat loss, as well as poaching for its skin and meat.
It also undergoes hybridization with the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), which threatens its genetic purity.
Currently, it is classified Critically Endangered by the IUCN, although conservation programs in Cuba, such as the one carried out in Company for the Conservation of the Zapata Swampthe National Zoological Park and the Park Zoo 26, They are working on their reproduction in captivity and reintroduction, adds the institution.
Crocodile farms as a tourist attraction
Cuban authorities promote nature tourism with crocodile farms in the Zapata and Lanier swamps, which combine conservation and research, an attraction for national and international visitors.
In the Ciénaga de Zapata, located in Matanzas and considered the largest wetland in the Caribbean, with 300 thousand hectares, tourists explore a farm that houses Cuban and American crocodiles, standing out for its rich biodiversity, points out another report of P.L..
On the Isle of Youth, the Lanier Swamp, a 100 km² National Park, has 80 crocodiles in Cayo Potrero, including 27 females and seven breeding males of the Rhombifer species, the media adds.
This hatchery, established more than 25 years ago after overexploitation in the 1950s, offers guided tours that promote learning about these prehistoric reptiles, capable of reaching 3.5 meters and speeds of 80 km/h on land.
Both centers, designed for breeding and scientific study, respond to the growing interest in active tourism that combines adventure and environmental awareness.
