The shortage of food and low incomes have led some Cubans to resort to a survival practice reminiscent of the toughest years of the Special Period: hunting wild pigeons to put some meat on the table.
With artisanal traps set on rooftops, balconies, and patios, inexperienced individuals are attempting to obtain food that they cannot afford with their salaries or pensions.
A report published by Food Monitor Program (FMP), titled “The Hunting of Wild Doves in Cuba: A Chronicle of an Announced Famine”, documents how the food crisis has led to the resurgence of rudimentary bird-catching methods, even in urban areas where they traditionally did not form part of everyday life.
One of the most revealing testimonies is that of Archimedes, a 71-year-old retiree residing in the city of Guantánamo, who worked his entire life in the state sector and is now forced to look for alternatives to feed himself.
“Inevitably, I ended up doing this because I had nothing to eat,” he told the independent outlet.
The man explained that his monthly pension is an amount he deems insufficient to purchase basic goods, let alone meat.
«I receive a pension of 5000 Cuban pesos and that is not enough for anything», she lamented, explaining the difficulties in obtaining rice, sugar, and other essential foods.
Archimedes lives alone and acknowledges that his daughter occasionally sends him some food, but he doesn't want to rely entirely on her because she also faces financial difficulties.
That's why he decided to start capturing pigeons, although he never imagined he would have to dedicate himself to this activity after a lifetime of work.
Their goal is not to obtain large quantities of meat, but to have some protein to prepare their meals.
“With two or three pigeons, you can make a very good soup,” he reported.
The testimony demonstrates how a lack of resources can alter the routine of an elderly person, who went from relying on their pension to foraging for food by capturing wild animals.
The report describes the use of traps commonly known as «cimbras» or «caravanas», made from simple materials such as sticks, wires, and threads.
These structures are placed in courtyards, balconies, and rooftops, with small baits of bread or rice to attract the birds.
FMP reminded that these techniques are not new in Cuba: during the economic crisis of the 1990s, similar methods were already used, especially in rural areas, but now the phenomenon is also appearing in urban spaces and among people who previously did not engage in hunting.
The organization links this situation to the loss of purchasing power, the rising cost of food, and the difficulties of the state distribution system in guaranteeing basic products.
The problem particularly affects older adults who depend on pensions in national currency and lack sufficient resources to purchase food in the private market.
The FMP also warns about the health consequences of capturing and consuming wild birds without veterinary controls or proper handling conditions.
Contact with pigeon droppings can pose a health risk, among other reasons due to the possible presence of fungi associated with diseases such as cryptococcosis.
Improper handling and preparation of wild animals can also increase exposure to other infectious agents.
The capture of pigeons adds to other practices of obtaining meat through the hunting of animals that have been previously documented in Cuba.
In November 2025, FMP reported the capture of birds, cats, and iguanas, as well as fishing with hazardous chemicals, among the strategies used by some individuals to obtain food.
The report warned that the shortage of proteins and economic difficulties were contributing to the emergence of practices that also pose risks to animal welfare, species conservation, and human health.
Another precedent was recorded in Camagüey. In May 2020, it was reported that farmers from the municipality of Céspedes had resumed the hunting and consumption of the majá de Santamaría, a boa endemic to Cuba, due to the scarcity of food products.
The practice, which had been part of ancient rural customs, was then reemerging as an alternative to obtain meat amid the economic crisis.
In July 2024, animal protectors reported an increase in the capture of cats intended for human consumption in Guantánamo, a situation that raised concerns among pet owners and animal welfare organizations.
The reports gathered at that time by independent media described how the shortage of food had compelled some people to resort to these animals, despite the health risks and ethical conflicts involved in their slaughter.
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