The Fauna Refuge of the Maximo river, housing the largest population of pink flamingos in the Caribbean, was awarded the Annual National Environment Prize by the Cuban Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment and the Academy of Science of Cuba.

Located at the mouth of the Maximo river in La Gloria bay to the north of the central province of Camaguey, the over 22,000-hectare site is also a destination for several migrating birds from the American continent.

In addition, the area houses the largest crocodile population of the Cuban north cost, while sheltering a notable concentration of manatees, an endangered aquatic mammal.

Due to its significant value, the Maximo River's fauna shelter is considered as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, which is an intergovernmental treaty that emerged in 1971 to provide the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation of wetlands and their resources.

Twenty one programs for the preservation of all the species living in the Maximo river mouth have been implemented by the National Flora and Fauna Protection Enterprise. The projects have not only resulted in turning the site into an area of reference for Central America and the Caribbean, but also in improving the life of local communities by providing jobs for the locals, and contributing to a better environmental education for the people in the area as well.

Source: Adelante.cu