Jeep Safari “Nature Tour for Birdwatching in Bermejas Trail”

• Duration: 9 hrs aprox
• Departure time: 08.30 hrs
• Tour guide: Yes
• Children are allowed: Yes
• Languages spoken: Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Russian

Jeep Safari “Nature Tour for Birdwatching in Bermejas Trail”

This excursion allows you to get to know the Ciénaga de Zapata National Park, declared a Biosphere Reserve and RAMSAR Site by UNESCO in 2000. This is an important birding area that is listed as the largest and best preserved wetland in Cuba, and one of the largest in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Values of the Area:¨The Bermejas Wildlife Refuge¨

The Bermejas Wildlife Refuge is located in the eastern part of the Peninsula de Zapata Protected Area of Managed Resources and Biosphere Reserve, north of the town of Bermejas. Access is via the road from Playa Girón to San Blas and other secondary roads that reach the limits of the area. It consists of a substrate of carbonate rocks formed in the Neogene period of the Quaternary, from the Jaimanitas formation. It is a low, flat, gently sloping, karst, internally fractured sea plain with some evidence of marine terraces and karst formations covered or semi-covered by peat and clay thicknesses.

The vegetation is characterized by semi-deciduous forests with fluctuating humidity and elements of sub-perennial forests in more humid areas, although marshland, savannah vegetation and intermittent lagoon vegetation are also found. Some of its endemic species are Heterosavia laurifoliayjicarita (Casasia calophylla). The soplillo (Lysiloma latisiliqua), jucaro (Bucida sp.) and palms (Sabal sp. and Roystonea regia) also predominate. It has been established that the natural resources prioritized for conservation are: the forest - lake habitat as a whole and, at a specific level, the Yamaquey species (Belahiria mucronata) and the rooster's egg (Tabernaemontana citrifolia).

There are 11 species of ants, including the biting and fleeing ant (Pseudomyrmex pazosi), which is endemic to our country, and others like the fire ant (Solenopsis geminata) and the santanica ant (Wasmannia auropunctata). Nine species of dragonflies are also reported, with a high density of populations of the species Erythrodiplax umbrata; five species of terrestrial mollusks, with one endemic species, Eurycampta supertexta.

Among the endemic amphibians we find the Eleutherodactylus riparius. The record of bufo (Bufo empusa) dates from the 19th century (Gundlach, 1880), and the Bufofustiger is also observed.

Bermejas has 19 of the 24 endemic bird species present in the ecoregion. In only 1 ha, it is possible to visualize 16 of the 19 endemic species. Among the endemic nesting birds are banana siskin (Glaucidium sijú), cotto siskin (Gymnoglaux lawrencii), churro woodpecker (Colaptes fernandinae), green woodpecker (Xiphiodiopicus percussus), parrot (Amazona leucocephala), catfish (Aratinga euops), tocororo (Priotelus temnurus), partridge pigeon (Starnoenas cyanocephala), camao (Geotrygon caniceps) and longtailed hawk (Accipiter gundlachi).

The native mammals of Bermeja are represented by the orders Rodentia and Chiroptera. The presence of representatives of the order Artiodactyla is also reported. The conga hutia (Capromys pilorides) and lacarabalí (Mysateles prehensilis), less abundant in the area. Five bat species live there. Due to the scarcity of karst in the site, most species seek daytime rest in the foliage of the palms or in holes opened in the palms by woodpeckers.

Itinerary:

• Pick up at the hotel.

• Transfer to the area of the Cienaga de Zapata.

• Visit to the Bermejas Trail. Specialty: Birdwatching and plant formations. It is done with little difficulty, being done on foot and using some abandoned forest roads, by vehicle you can reach from the Bermeja road to the entrance of the trail where you are guided by specialized personnel in bird watching of the National Park.

• Lunch at El Pesquero restaurant in Playa Larga hotel.

• Return to the hotel.

TIPS: • Recommended: light clothing, swimwear, sunglasses, cap and solar protection.