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SPECIES PROFILE

Cuban Hutia (Capromys pilorides)

Capromys

IUCN STATUS

Least Concern

Cuban Hutia (Capromys pilorides) — Endemic to Cuba and surrounding cays; several subspecies across different island areas.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Least Concern

CLASS

Mammalia

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE

Endemic to Cuba and surrounding cays; several subspecies across different island areas.

DIET

Herbivore

HABITAT

Tropical forest, mangroves, rocky coastal scrub, and secondary forest throughout Cuba and many offshore cays.

🔬 Classification

PHYLUM

Chordata

CLASS

Mammalia

ORDER

Rodentia

FAMILY

Capromyidae

GENUS

Capromys

📋 Description

SIZE

Largest native land mammal in Cuba; 60–85 cm including tail; weighs 2–8 kg depending on subspecies.

COLORATION

Coarse dark brown to grey-brown fur above; pale grey-buff underparts; rat-like face with robust body.

ADAPTATIONS

Strong gnawing incisors for bark stripping; arboreal claws for tree climbing; Cuba's equivalent of a large rodent.

🌿 Ecology

HABITAT

Tropical forest, mangroves, rocky coastal scrub, and secondary forest throughout Cuba and many offshore cays.

DIET

Herbivore

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Endemic to Cuba and surrounding cays; several subspecies across different island areas.

REPRODUCTION

Gives birth to 1–3 young after ~140 day gestation; young are precocial (born furred and active); matures quickly.

DIET DETAILS

Leaves, bark, fruits, and roots; occasionally small lizards or bird eggs; arboreal forager spending hours in tree canopies.

⚠️ Threats & Conservation

PRIMARY THREATS

Hunting for meat (hutia is a traditional Cuban food), habitat loss, and predation by introduced cats and dogs.

💡 Interesting Facts

1

Cuban Hutias are living relics — they are the last surviving members of a once-diverse Caribbean rodent fauna.

2

They are important seed dispersers and forest engineers; their tree-stripping behaviour creates habitat for cavity-nesting birds.

🔭 Sighting Guide

📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT

Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt, Guantánamo Province, Cuba — best mainland site for Cuban Hutia sightings.

Ciénaga de Zapata Biosphere Reserve, Cuba — hutias are common in the scrubby forest near the Playa Larga entrance.

Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen) archipelago, Cuba — offshore cay populations of hutias are relatively tame.

🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT

Walk forest trails at dusk in Humboldt National Park or Zapata; hutias move slowly and can be observed at close range.

🎯 SIGHTING TIPS

Year-round; crepuscular activity peaks at dusk and dawn; easier to spot on cloudy days when they remain active longer.