The Conga jutia, a promising species: evaluation of this endemic species as natural resource in Cuba

Rodents, one of the groups of mammals that became established in Cuba, are still represented by the Capromys genus. Some of these species are known from very restricted localities. The characteristics that distinguish these species from the rest must have arisen in only a few thousand years.Seven species have been described in Cuba, so it is obvious that these mammals had an adaptive radiation towards both terrestrial and arboreal niches.Jutias, all of them, are a West Indian invention, evolved from a South American ancestor.The Cuban Jutia Conga is the largest of the living jutias. This species has a great adaptability to captivity and is the most prone to domestication.It is a very strong and resistant rodent, which provides a promising future as a natural resource, because in addition to its great potential as a producer of quality meat, it is widely accepted as a traditional dish. This could become an example of sustainable exploitation of an exclusive species, which had never before been subjected to productive and conservationist management.