HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 2 (ACN) PhD. Hiram Gonzalez Alonso, a biologist at the Cuban Institute of Biodiversity of the Environment Agency of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA by its Spanish acronym), warned that the illegal capture of birds now poses a greater threat to the nation's avifauna than climate change, as reported by the Minister of the Environment, Armando Rodriguez Batista, on his Facebook profile.
A census conducted by that institution showed that in just over four years the practice has doubled in geographic reach, increasing from 98 locations in 2021 to 199 in the last quarter of 2025.
Gonzalez Alonso, with five decades of experience, explained that the activity has evolved from a cultural tradition into a massive commercial business, with a severe impact on endemic and migratory species.
Among the most affected birds, he mentioned the Cuban parrot, the Cuban parakeet, the Cuban grassquit, and the Cuban blackbird, whose populations are declining due to destructive methods such as the felling of trees and palms where they nest.
Cuba has a solid legal framework to protect biodiversity, which includes the Constitution, the Penal Code, and Law 150 of the System of Natural Resources and the Environment, in addition to international agreements.
Sanctions include hefty fines and imprisonment. However, the specialist pointed out that the legislation is not being enforced and called for greater support from the police and local authorities for the Forest Ranger Corps to apply the regulations throughout the country.
The expert reiterated the vital ecological functions of birds, such as pest control, seed dispersal, pollination, and the transfer of nutrients between ecosystems, the loss of which would cause an environmental disaster.
He also denounced the threats and insults received by scientists who disseminate information about the problem, although he reaffirmed his commitment to the defense of biodiversity.
As a sustainable alternative, he proposed promoting birdwatching tourism, an activity that already generates employment in local communities and contributes to conservation.
He clarified that species such as canaries, goldfinches, and budgerigars have historically been bred in captivity and do not pose a threat to Cuban biodiversity.
The final appeal included the need to rigorously enforce the law, strengthen environmental education in the media, facilitate channels for citizen reporting, and halt international trafficking in coordination with the General Customs Office of the Republic.
Authorities from CITMA and other relevant agencies are working in a coordinated manner on the Government Plan to Combat Illegal Activities Related to Forest Resources, Flora, Fauna, and other natural resources, as well as on the National Program on Biological Diversity, with a projection to 2030.
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