Cubans and Japanese Scientists Searching for Shrew-like Rodents

HAVANA TIMES — Cuban and Japanese researchers are undertaking the second stage of an expedition to identify populations of the almiqui shrew-like Solenodon rodents that still exist in the Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, in the east of the island.

According to Prensa Latina, during the first expedition, which took place last year, the discovery of seven adult “Almiquis” in the Toldo Plateau were reported, suggesting the possible existence of other specimen of the primeval land mammal.

Participating in the research are scholars from the University of Havana, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Guantanamo, and from Japan’s Hokkaido, Tsukuba and Miyage universities.

Solenodons are endemic to Cuba and considered by science as a living fossil in critical danger of extinction.