Jose Manuel de la Cruz-Mora
- Project name: Life history and habitat requirements of Natalus primus, one of the most endangered bats in Cuba
- Project site: Cueva La Barca, Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Cuba
- EDGE species: Cuban Greater Funnel-Eared Bat Natalus primus
- Active: 2018 - 2020
Biography
Jose has been in a research role at the Natural History Museum for 7 years, through which he has participated in numerous research projects of both national and international scales. He is also a member of the Program for the Conservation of the Cuban Bats, a regional conservation strategy for bats in Latin America. Jose supported the 2017 Erasmus Darwin Barlow Expedition (EDBE) to Cuba.
Jose hopes that the EDGE Fellowship will give him the necessary training and support to become a wildlife conservation leader in the west of Cuba. He intends to use the knowledge and experience gained from the Fellowship to support his application for a Masters degree.
EDGE Project
Jose’s project aims to collect baseline ecological data for the Cuban funnel-eared bat, and initiate bat education programs in schools and communities near to Guanahacabibes National Park. His objectives are to:
- Reassess the current threat status of the Cuban funnel-eared bat.
- Improve current knowledge of the habitat requirements, annual life history and reproductive habits of the Cuban funnel-eared bat.
- Provide ecological information to the Guanahacabibes National Park authorities to allow them to initiate effective conservation planning.
- Implement a public outreach program at the Museum of Natural History of Pinar del Río, which will include exhibitions, talks and workshops for children from local schools.
- Create a photographic and video digital database for the museum.
