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Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
Las Picuas-Cayo Del Cristo IBA is located in the Sabana-
Camagüey Archipelago, a group of cays off the north-east
coast of Villa Clara province. The IBA extends from Cayo
Blanquizal to Cayo Cristo. These cays and islets are
characterised by a muddy-sandy substrate, and are dominated
by mangrove forests and dunes with associated shrubby
vegetation. The administrative centre of the IBA is in the
coastal town of Carahatas, with around 666 residents who
mostly work in fishing through a state fisheries cooperative,
but also in agriculture and cattle farming.
This IBA supports globally significant breeding colonies of
Caribbean Flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber, Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus and the Vulnerable West Indian Whistling-duck
Dendrocygna arborea. It represents an important
waterbird site with 46 species nesting including herons, ibises,
spoonbills, cormorants, and pelicans. More than 17 waterbird
species roost communally on several of cays and islets. The
Near Threatened White-crowned Pigeon Patagioenas
leucocephala breeds in the IBA.
Non-bird biodiversity: Marine life includes the Vulnerable West Indian manatee
Trichechus manatus and globally threatened sea-turtles. The
Vulnerable Cuban ground iguana Cyclura nubila occurs on
more than 20 cays. Two plants are Cuban endemics, one of
which is the Endangered Pilosocereus robinii.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Las Picuas-Cayo del Cristo IBA was approved as a wildlife
refuge in 2001 and is currently managed by the Empresa para
la Protección de la Flora y la Fauna (ENPFF). The most
important threat facing this IBA is overfishing and excessive
use of trawl nets. More than 15 trawlers operate year-round;
an activity which is unregulated by local fishing authorities
and significantly disturbs marine habitats and fauna. Illegal
hunting of manatees occurs year-round and of sea-turtles
during the nesting season. The queen conch
Strombus gigas is
also unsustainably harvested and used as bait. Other threats
include dumping of construction waste, oil and lubricant spills
from boats, exotic flora, hurricanes and other natural
phenomena, as well as the cutting of
Coccotrinax litoralis and
Eugenia spp. to make fishing tools.
Authors: MARÍA MORALES, VICENTE BEROVIDES, SUSANA AGUILAR
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Las Picuas - Del Cristo Cay (Cuba). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/las-picuas--del-cristo-cay-iba-cuba on 23/12/2024.
