What are wetlands?

Wetlands are defined as extensions of marshes, swamps and bogs or surfaces covered with water, whether natural, artificial, permanent or temporary, stagnant or running, fresh, brackish or salty, including extensions of water marine whose extension at low tide does not exceed 6 meters in depth.

Wetlands cover approximately 6% of the planet's surface, or approximately 570,000,000 ha. Only in coastal wetlands or associated with them lives 70% of humanity.

Due to its elongated shape and low geomorphology, Cuba contains the largest regions of wetlands, particularly coastal wetlands, in the Caribbean.

In the Cuban archipelago, wetlands occupy 30% of the total surface area, or nearly 2 million hectares of mostly coastal marshy areas and, to a lesser extent, other areas dedicated to associated economic activities such as rice fields. , salt marshes, dams, canals and fish and shellfish hatcheries.

A very diverse flora and fauna, reptiles, crustaceans and mammals among others; at least 10% of Cuban endemic plants and 50% of birds are associated with these areas of the national geography, which find here a natural habitat and for birds an ideal refuge during periods of migration.

The wetlands of the protected regions of the managed reserves of the Zapata peninsula in Matanzas, the largest in the country, Buenavista in Sancti Spíritus, Villa Clara and Ciego de Ávila, the wetlands south of Isla de la Juventud, as well as those present at the Delta del Cauto wildlife refuge in Granma and Río Máximo in Camagüey; are declared Ramsar sites, in reference to the international convention for the protection of wetlands, which qualifies them as extremely important and of a high degree of conservation.

To book your next adventure to The Bay of Pigs, Zapata Swamps, as well as other areas of Cuba, please contact Rebellecuba / René López Zayas via messenger or the following contact details

WhatsApp (+53) 5 268 3218 Email rebelcuba@gmail.com

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