Holguín, the most beautiful city

Sixteen protected areas in Holguin

The Cuban province of Holguin has established 16 protected areas, linked to the achievement of an efficient nature conservation, floristic values, wildlife, history and culture associated with the environment.

The protected areas include the Pico Cristal National Park, created in 1930, covering an area of 18 000 537 hectáreas in the municipalities of Frank Pais and Mayari, in the mountainous region of Nipe - Sagua-Baracoa.

With more than 325 endemic species and nearly 50 of the flora of this area, stand on its heritage the woodland of Pinus cubensis and the Charrascal, besides fauna jewels in the area like the Cuban Solenodon, known here as the “Almiqui”.

The National Park La Mensura-Piloto, approved in 2008 and located in the Sierra de Nipe, in the municipality of Mayari, is also among the protected areas. It has about 8 486 hectares of pine forests, evergreens, secondary and galleries, high landscape value crossed by several rivers and streams. This area has registered more than 600 plant species, one third endemic of Cuba and 82 strict endemic in the region.

This area shelters some 325 species and subspecies of fauna, including 135 endemic, mainly mammals and birds, as the cartacuba, the real thrush, nightingale, black bird, tailed hawk, the parrot and tocororo .

Holguín administratively shares to the province of Guantánamo, sectors of the Melba, Farallones de Moa, Ojito de Agua and Alejandro de Humboldt Park, World Heritage Site since 2001.

Other protected areas with varying designations, categories and tasks are distributed across the rest of the territory of Holguin, including the bird’s corridor of Gibara and the wetland at the mouth of the Mayari river.