Cuban gar Latest News
Cuban scientists have taken restoration efforts in Cuba's Zapata Swamp to save the Cuban gar from extinction.Â
About Cuban gar
- The Cuban gar (Atractosteus tristoechus), also known as the manjuarÃ, is a fish in the family Lepisosteidae.
- This fish is part of a family called "gars," which have been around for about 100 million years.
- It is a tropical, freshwater species, although it also inhabits brackish water.
- Characteristics of Cuban gar
- It is also notable for its high tolerance of high ammonia and nitrate levels in water.
- It has the ability to breathe some atmospheric air in absence of sufficiently oxygenated water.
- Habitat: It is found in various habitats from large lakes and rivers to sluggish tributaries, backwaters and pools, and can surive in both fresh and brackish waters.
- Distribution: It is found in rivers and lakes of western Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud.Â
- Diet: Gars are ambush predators feeding on smaller fishes and aquatic crustaceans in nature.
- Threats: Habitat loss, and introduction of invasive species African walking catfish.
- Conservation Status: IUCN: Critically Endangered
Source: India Today
Cuban gar FAQs
Q1: What is the habitat of the Cuban Gar?
Ans: Waters of Cuba and surrounding areas
Q2: What is the conservation status of the Cuban Gar?
Ans: Critically Endangered
