DoD Partners in Flight (DoD PIF)

Cuba’s exceptional biological value can be measured by its high number of endemic plants and animals. The creation of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in 1903 resulted in the preservation of exceptional habitat for many of these species, some of which are endemic to either Guantanamo or Cuba and are declining elsewhere. A rapid ecological assessment conducted by The Nature Conservancy found eight Cuban endemic bird species were abundant on the base, and significant stopover and wintering use by migrants. A follow-up multi-year, year-round study by The Institute for Bird Populations produced models for apparent survival for seven neotropical migrants and six endemics. This study led to the development of the MoSI (Monitoreo de Sobrevivencia Invernal) program, now implemented throughout Latin America. Nearly 170 bird species have now been recorded on the base, including nine Cuban endemics.