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The Solenodon´s Call is heard at the End of Disconcert. By Iliana García Giraldino With its body covered by abundant hair, small ears, long muzzle, strong moustache and black eyes, brilliant and homesick, the helpless meek Solenodon from millions of years, seems not to feel pride of its epic resistance of its specie to disappear and simply tries to survive in order not to be erased definitively from Earth. Therefore, this animal named, Solenodus Cubanus, is the most shaking symbol of the forces of nature in Cuba facing man's harassment and destruction of flora and fauna, alive elements of the environment and to waters, soils, air and environment as a whole. The millenium is ending and very scarce samples are left of one of the biggest insectivorous of the world, it will add other thousand years to its long survival history. Being the most interesting mammal of the island, reported scientifically by the learned Felipe Poey, during the middle of XIX Century, it is a unique witness of violent attacks against natural environment and also positive changes of last decades of year 2 000. It is well known Fray Bartolomé de las Casas´s appreciation in year 1 500 when arriving here, the Spanish conquerors, could go from one side to another in Cuba, under the trees. Colonialists started the indiscriminate tree felling and sacking of precious woods, destroying forests and the animals' habitat, sad way that was followed by the Pseudo-Republic. Result could not be worst. Scientists immersed in flora and fauna research, in isolated works, demanding great dedication and tenacity not to faint for the lack of attention and the government indifference have given path to valuable studies that enriched knowledge, environment and they ease not without being astonished, the devastation the country has gone through. When the Revolution triumphed in 1959, the environment was treated in its real nature and right from the beginning the government started a strategy in order to preserve and relief grave damage to nature, accumulated during so much time. Not Only Solenodon The disappearance process or gradual extinction of species, in several or numerous painful occasions, always irreversible is very prolonged and the origins go centuries back. Millenium ends in Cuba with almost 14 % of flora threatened to disappearance. In this context, we have the Cork Palm in reduced zones at the Western province of Pinar del Rio or pre history origin and considered a living fossil. Botanic experts assure that from the Cuban flora, thirteen species are being lost for ever, ten of them, endemic (they were only in Cuba) such as: corojo and guanabilla. Almost one thousand species, more than 80 % are rare or in danger extinction. At disappearance risk, several types of herbs are considered: melocactus, as the so-called coast urchin, yuraguana palm, petate and buffalo tree... From birds' samples, we will never be able to see and enjoy of their colorful feathers and singular singing, the Cuban papagayo, victim of the conqueror voracity. We believe it has already been extinguished: the real carpenter, although there are some possibilities that some samples live at the eastern zone of the island. In danger, the so called Gallinuela de Santo Tomás( The Santo Tomas´s Hen) in its reduced habitat in a small portion from Cienaga de Zapata. To the several Cuban birds needing protection we add: Tocororo, considered a national symbol and the caguarero orn sparrow hawk feeding with land mollusk as polymites, shell specie also threatened by an indiscriminate exploitation since their colors are very attractive. The Cuban wild fauna has the smallest bat species in the world, (nystiellus lepidus), form birds, the Zunzuncito (Mellisuga helenae) and the amphibious, rant (Sminthillus limbatus). Another example of the abundant fauna in the island, needed of special care: eight existing of jutias, victims of hunters and it is possible that in the XX century dwarf jutia has already disappeared. Among other mammals, the manatee, the same as Solenodon has been chased and their population has been devastated. In general, the Cuban flora presents a lit bit more than 51% of endemic species within the six thousand seven hundred species localized, some other fourteen thousand animals have been described and some zoological groups exhibit a superior endemic state up to 90 %. At the chain Sagua- Baracoa and at Sierra Maestra, at the Eastern part, there are more of the half of the Cuban flora and the endemic species.
End of the Millennium , Sustained Development At the end of the Millennium, the political will of preserving the environment in Cuba is manifested right from 1959 and continues to be ratified. Man is worried to see his own existence being threatened as specie. One of the so many statistics illustrating the tragedy is that in the world around 14 millions of forests hectares are falling down every year, this affects badly in the ecosystems, meanwhile danger to the ozone layer increase and the weather sea temperature increases too. President Fidel Castro, has denounced once again in international forums, the danger humanity is running to survive if attack against nature continue, above all by the industrial nations side with their economic not sustained model. Socialism is able to conciliate in a harmonic way, development with environment care, so it is evidenced in Cuba, where the main goal is the human being and his environment, indispensable for life. José Martí´s thinking (our National Hero) has been the inspirer of reforest: the vital question we are talking about is: forest preservation where they exist, their improvement where they are and their creation where they do not exist. From 1959 researches have multiplied, recovery plans of saline lands; detection and elimination of polluting focus of water against degradation of soils and caring of the seas. Among the most recent works preserving the environment carried out, we find the one dealing with the National Park "Alejandro de Humboldt", a wonderful western zone with infinity of endemic species of animals and plants, proposed to be declared as world natural patrimony. Other actions of protecting nature are applied at the Cauto´s river streams, the most extended fluvial way of the country. The decontamination of the Guacanayabo Gulf, of the Havana Bay and the Almendares´s River and the Cuban Action Program for the reduction of gases attacking the ozone layer. The establishment of the protected area -flora and fauna paradises has been very important. Plans of seeding trees to raise the forest surface with the participation of State Institutions and population. When the Spanish conquerors arrived, it is said that forests covered 90% of the national territory; almost at the first half of the XX Century, it was only 13 % left and during the last 40 years the 21% was recovered. The 1976 Constitution of the Republic of Cuba expresses that in order to reaffirm the welfare of the citizens, The State and Society protect Nature. In 1981, Law # 33 about "Protection of the Environment and Rational Use of Natural Resources." And in 1997, the new Law of the Environment. Decree -Law 200 of 1999: It is a legal instrument against those affecting the surroundings. The country works seriously in the accomplishment of Agenda 21 from Río de Janeiro specifying the practical measures to stop or relief the negative phenomena for nature. All done to protect the environment will always be insufficient; in spite of the fact that education about this theme will have to go forward. Much more in people, education and working centers, bodies and institutions and among officers and executives in charge of projects which could affect ecosystems. It is forced to increase the demand in the accomplishment of the in force legislation. Jose Marti said: Poem is in Nature, mother of provident breasts, wife that will never stops love, oracle always answering, poet of thousands tongues, magician-making understand what she does not say. Consoling that fortifies and embalms. All Cubans are called to support the conserving policy of the country and to take care of the surroundings, this is a compromise to future generations. If it were having faculties, the Solenodon cubanus, when knowing efforts to protect the Cuban environment, would go through disconcert to hope and would start to gain trust in the nobility of man in the new millenium. |
