This is the outcome of the work led by the Institute of Ecology and Systematics, the Environment Agency of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment and the contribution of dozens of specialists from some 30 national and foreign institutions, Granma newspaper reported.

Of the total number of species evaluated, 46% are endangered species at certain level, and 26% are considered extinct or regionally extinct.

Among the main causes endangering the survival of Cuban plants are agricultural activity, along with logging, illegal trade in species, open-pit mining and interaction with exotic invasive species.

With an estimated 6,500 species, Cuba is one of the island territories with the highest number of plant categories per square kilometer.

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