• Submitted by: Luis Manuel Mazorra
• Environment
• 11 / 17 / 2011

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The Global Fund for the United Nations Environment is funding an international project dedicated to the protection of marine ecological reserves. In Cuba there are several areas that will be enhanced with the program that includes research and conservation initiatives.

Four protected areas in the western region of the island are included in the program, which go to Cuba more than five million dollars over five years, local scientists have confirmed.

The sites favored by the ecological reserve initiative are the parapets, which harbors populations of manatees, endangered mammal, and the National Park Cayos de San Felipe, which nest islets in three of the seven species of sea turtles of the world .

The Biosphere Reserve Guanahacabibes peninsula, on the western edge of the nation, is another of the sites chosen for the implementation of the project also includes the floristic reserve Sabanalamar San Ubaldo, a unique forest where they survive on white sand and exclusives flora of the island.

Martha Rosa Acosta, Provincial Specialist Unit of the Environment, told Prensa Latina that since monitoring began birds, turtles, lobsters and other species of wildlife.

One purpose of the experience is the creation of new protected areas or expanding existing ones, as in the case of Guanahacabibes, which now includes San Antonio bank, with outstanding coral reefs and a rich fauna, he said.

Within these scenarios shares outstanding environmental education to counter the illegal catch of species or so-called over-fishing.

He said the negative impact of logging on populations of mangroves, protective barriers against hurricanes, also focus the attention of experts.