Cuban Prehistoric Fish on the Brink: The Manjuarí Faces Extinction Threat

The manjuarí, a prehistoric fish revered as a natural treasure of Cuba, is on the verge of extinction within the Zapata Swamp, the largest wetland in the Caribbean.

With a lineage that stretches back over 140 million years, this ancient species now clings to survival in an increasingly fragile ecosystem.

According to a report by Reuters, the species, known scientifically as Atractosteus tristoechus, has been listed as "critically endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list since 2020.

The Battle Against Invasive Species

The primary factors driving its decline include habitat loss, uncontrolled hunting, and the introduction of the African catfish in 1999, an invasive species that has disrupted the area's ecological balance.

Introduced by the government to promote aquaculture for food, the so-called African walking catfish (Clarias gariepinus) has become a destructive invasive force, wreaking havoc on the national aquatic ecosystem.

Popularly known as "claria," this catfish has decimated endemic fish and other native species, even those inhabiting rivers and underground systems, displacing the manjuarí and severely disturbing the natural balance in the Zapata Swamp and other habitats across the nation.

Conservation Efforts and Challenges

In the Zapata Swamp, a team of biologists led by Andrés Hurtado is spearheading a project for the controlled breeding of the manjuarí.

Within a modest hatchery encircled by mangroves, Hurtado's team has succeeded in breeding young specimens that are subsequently released into the wetland to repopulate their natural habitat.

The process is intricate: the fish are elusive, difficult to observe, and extremely sensitive to environmental changes.

Experts note that manjuarí larvae, barely the size of a pencil, hide among the mangrove roots, complicating monitoring efforts.

Nevertheless, the researchers maintain that their work is starting to yield results, with local fishermen reporting sightings of the fish in areas where they had not been seen for years.

The project faces numerous challenges: a lack of supplies, isolation conditions, and the constant threat from predators.

The Urgent Need for Institutional Support

Despite these hurdles, scientists emphasize that the recovery of the manjuarí is not merely an environmental issue but a matter of heritage.

This unique, endemic species has survived millions of years of geological and climatic changes and is a "living fossil" and a symbol of Cuban biodiversity, specialists assert, urging for more institutional support for its preservation.

The Zapata Swamp, recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, remains its last refuge, but time is running out.

Since its introduction in the late 1990s, the claria has become an ecological problem in Cuba. Originally promoted by the regime as a food source due to its rapid growth and resilience, the catfish's presence has had devastating effects on freshwater ecosystems.

The presence of the claria correlates with a noticeable deterioration in the manjuarí's habitat. In Havana, two specimens of this prehistoric fish were discovered dead in the street, highlighting the population's vulnerability. Although how they ended up there remains unclear, the incident alarmed biologists and environmentalists.

The situation worsens when considering that, according to official figures, the number of endangered endemic species in Cuban fauna, including the manjuarí, has increased.

Invasive species, habitat loss, and the absence of a coherent environmental policy are some of the causes identified in available reports.