| Cuchillas del Toa | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area) | |
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| Location |  Cuba |
| Nearest city | Baracoa |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Area | 2,023.54 km² (781.29 sq mi)[1] |
| Established | 1987[2] |
| Governing body | El Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente (CITMA) |
Cuchillas del Toa (English: Ridges of Toa) is a Biosphere Reserve in Cuba. It is located in the eastern part of the country, mostly in the Guantánamo Province and reaching to the north into the Holguín Province. Most of the reserve is established in the drainage area of the Toa River, which flows for 118 km (73 mi) to the Atlantic Ocean in Baracoa. The reserve protects tropical wet forest and coastal/marine ecosystems.It surrounds the Alejandro de Humboldt National Park and also contains El Yunque table mountain, the Infierno Creek with a 300 meters (984 ft) high waterfall, the Great Cave of Moa (Gran Caverna de Moa) and the Bay of Taco, north of Baracoa.
Conservation
The reserve was classified as IUCN Managed Resource Protected Area. It has a total area of 2,023.54 km² (781.29 sq mi),[1] sub-divided into 4 areas, called Cupeyal del Norte, Ojito de Agua, la Melba and Baracoa.[3]. It was listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1987.[2] The reserve protects species such as the Cuban Solenodon (Solenodon cubanus, almiquí), Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus, Cuba's national bird), Gundlach's Hawk (Accipiter gundlachi) and Green-barred Woodpecker (Colaptes melanochloros), some endangered.
Protected Areas
The different areas of the reserve have various uses, and are further divided by type of reserve[4]:
- Cupeyal del Norte, contains the Cupeyal del Norte Nature Reserve and the Munición - Mucaral Floral Reserve.
- Ojito de Agua, contains the of Ojito de Agua Environmental Reserve and the protected landscape of Farallones de Moa.
- La Melba, Floral Reserve.
- Baracoa, contains the Jaguaní Nature Reserve, the Yamaniguey Nature Reserve, Alto de Iberia Fauna Reserve and the Bahía de Taco Environmental Reserve.
References
- ^ a b National Protected Areas System of Cuba (2005). Protected Areas. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ a b UNESCO. Cuchillas del Toa. Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
- ^ Radio Habana. Cuchillas del Toa. Retrieved on 2007-10-11. (Spanish)
- ^ Province of Guantánamo (2001). Provincial Protected Area Network. Retrieved on 2007-10-11. (Spanish)
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| National Parks | Alejandro de Humboldt · Caguanes · Ciénaga de Zapata · Desembarco del Granma · El Bagá · Guanahacabibes · Jardines de la Reina · Sierra Cristal · Turquino · Viñales |  |
| World Heritage Sites | Alejandro de Humboldt · Cienfuegos · South-East Coffee Plantations · Desembarco del Granma · Old Havana · San Pedro de la Roca · Trinidad · Valley de los Ingenios · Viñales Valley | |
| Biosphere Reserve | Baconao · Buena Vista · Ciénaga de Zapata · Cuchillas del Toa · Guanahacabibes · Sierra del Rosario · South of Isla de la Juventud | |
