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Invasive mammals in Cuba: an overview

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Abstract

Invasive mammals in Cuba have a negative impact on the conservation of endemic fauna. Rats, mice, mongooses, cats, dogs, among others, pose a threat to the conservation of the Cuban solenodon, the capromyid rodents, and many species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. The current state of introduced and invasive mammal species in Cuba, their impact, available information about their introduction, habits, field observations, distribution, etc., is reviewed. A total of 29 species of invasive mammals in 40 islands of the Cuban Archipelago are reported; the black rat, dog, cat, mouse, mongoose, pig, goat, brown rat, and cattle are the most important. A control policy on invasive species of mammals is urgently needed for the conservation of the fauna of the Cuban Archipelago.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Angel Arias Barreto from CESAME for additional information about Cayo Las Brujas and Cayo Frances; to colleagues from the Institute of Ecology and Systematic, especially to Carlos A. Mancina for some additional information, revision and suggestions. We also thank Al Roca from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, for the help in the English review of manuscript.

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  1. Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática, Carretera de Varona Km 3.5 Boyeros, A. P. 8029 C. P. 10800, C Habana, Cuba

    Rafael Borroto-Páez

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  1. Rafael Borroto-Páez
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Correspondence to Rafael Borroto-Páez.

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Borroto-Páez, R. Invasive mammals in Cuba: an overview. Biol Invasions 11, 2279–2290 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-008-9414-z

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