Cuban Solenodon

Solenodon cubanus

Conservation Status

Endangered

Mammalia · Eulipotyphla · Solenodontidae

About

The Cuban solenodon or almiquí is a small, furry, shrew-like mammal endemic to mountainous forests on Cuba. It is the only species in the genus Atopogale. An elusive animal, it lives in burrows and is only active at night when it uses its unusual toxic saliva to feed on insects. The solenodons, native to the Caribbean, are one of only a few mammals that are venomous.

Fun Fact

Cuban solenodons are venomous mammals that inject toxin through grooved lower incisors — they diverged from all other mammals around 76 million years ago, making them 'living fossils' that coexisted with dinosaurs.

Quick Facts

Habitat

Mountain forests

Diet

Insectivore

Lifespan

6-11 years

Threats

Illegal Wildlife Trade
Deforestation
Small Population Size
Illegal Logging

External Data Sources

Recent sightings on iNaturalist IUCN Red List profile

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