The
Sierra Maestra district occupies the southeastern end of Granma
province and the southwestern end of the province of Santiago de
Cuba, having an extension of more than 6000 sq km (2317 sq mi) that
almost coincides with that of the Great National Park Sierra Maestra,
belonging to the national system of protected areas owing to its
richness and variety as well as the endemic character of its wildlife.
There is abundance of amphibious and reptiles species.
Out of the eleven amphibious species, three of them occur only near
the Turquino peak: the Eutherodactylus albipes, E. melacara and
E. Turquinensis. Among the ten lizard species, there is one that
is endemic and exclusive of the zone: the Anolis guazuma. Among
mammals two species of jutía, the "conga" (Capromys
pilorides) and the "andaraces" (Capromys melanurus), predominate.
Ornithological fauna is represented, among others, by the cartacuba
(Todus multicolor), the tocororo (Priotelus tecnurus), and the tomeguín
(Tiaris canora).
In 1998, Manuel Rivero Glean made a compilation of some of the endemic
animal species found in the natural regions Montañas de la
Sierra del Turquino and Sierra de la Gran Piedra, both located in
the Sierra Maestra district. Among them are several species of scorpion,
including the A. nanus; several species of butterfly such as the
Papilio pelaus atkinsi and the Greta cubana (curious transparent-wing
species); bird species like the green woodpecker, the nightingale,
the sijú cotunto, the sinsontillo, and the fly bird; and
other species like the almiquí, the jata bat, the withered
leaves lizard (only in the Cabo Cruz region), and the catey.
Out of the eleven amphibious species, three of them occur only near
the Turquino peak: the Eutherodactylus albipes, E. melacara and
E. Turquinensis. Among the ten lizard species, there is one that
is endemic and exclusive of the zone: the Anolis guazuma. Among
mammals two species of jutía, the "conga" (Capromys
pilorides) and the "andaraces" (Capromys melanurus), predominate.
