CAMAGÜEY.- The family of the Camagüey Zoo grew up in the early hours of July 15 with the birth in captivity of two collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu), also known as taitetú. These mammals have their natural habitat from the southwestern United States to northern Argentina and the only Caribbean island where it is native is in Trinidad and Tobago.

The peccary is a species in the Tayassuoidae family and can measure up to 50 cm at the withers and 70 to 110 cm in length. It has blackish-brown bristle fur and a white spot as a necklace. This species lives mainly in savannahs, xerophytic mountains, grasslands and broadleaf tropical and subtropical forests.

Ermindo Estévez Abreu, head of the animal welfare section in the park and a veterinary doctor, explained to Adelante Digital that the reproduction of this species has been successfully achieved in the Camagüey's facility, which has allowed donations of these specimens to zoos in the Las Tunas and Granma provinces.

"Although ours is the zoo in Cuba that has the smallest enclosures (cages), we managed with great effort, dedication and good management to reproduce species such as: primates, lions, reptiles, birds and jutías conga, among others. In the case of the hutias, we specifically obtained four new offspring during this quarantine period caused by COVID-19, ”said Estévez Abreu.

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The jutía conga is the most common, the largest and the most famous of the jutía species that inhabit Cuba. It is a species of rodent in the family Capromyidae, endemic to the Greater Antilles. It measures 20 to 60 cm in length with an uncovered tail of hairs of 15 to 30 cm. It weighs an average of 7 kg. The hair can be from black to reddish or light brown.

The Camagüey Zoo, located in the Casino Campestre, is open to the public during the summer all week from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 a.m. Add to the attractions of its collections the shows with performing arts and photos with animals from the collection.

Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez