Gilberto Silva Taboada

Outstanding Cuban scientist with a long and fruitful scientific career of significant contributions to Cuban mammalogy, especially in the Order of Chiroptera, as well as in cave fauna, and in the museology of Cuban natural history.

Member of the Speleological Society of Cuba since its founding moments in 1949, Silva Taboada, in his capacity as a speleologist, became increasingly connected to bats and developed a special interest in their study.

His knowledge of Cuban caves and bats allowed him, starting in 1959, to represent the Cuban side in the joint venture for the exploitation of bat guano, under the orders of Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara.

He was part of a select group of scientists in 1961 that made up the so-called National Commission for the creation of the Cuban Museum of Natural Sciences, and later, in 1962, the one constituted for the formation of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba.

He is a biologist who was part of the National Commission for the Academy of Sciences in 1962. Current Curator of mammals at the National Museum of Natural History, and member of its Scientific Council.

Expert in taxonomy and distribution of terrestrial and freshwater cave invertebrates; with significant scientific results in: identification of keratinophilic fungi in soils; circulation of leptospira and rabies in wild mammal populations; systematics, ecology, behavior, conservation, biogeography, and paleontology of mammals.

Leader and principal executor of projects granted by the American Museum of Natural History (New York), the MacArthur Foundation (Chicago), the Center for Marine Conservation (Washington), RARE Center for Tropical Conservation (Philadelphia), Smithsonian Institution (Washington), Bay Foundation (New York), Association of Systematic Collections (Washington), and the World Wildlife Fund (Toronto).

Invited speaker at international conferences with lectures on the Preservation of Biological Diversity of the Earth at the American Museum of Natural History, New York; Second World Congress on Preservation and Conservation of Natural History Collections at Cambridge University, England; at the Darwin Meeting: "Removing the Taxonomic Impediment," Darwin, Australia.

Recipient of numerous national and international awards and recognitions such as the "Lazzaro Spallanzani" Prize for his life's work in the study of bats, awarded (in its inaugural year) by the American Society for Bat Research and Conservation (USA).

Honorary Member of the Cuban Society of Zoology "for his contribution to Cuban and Caribbean zoology," Recognition from the Economic Society of Friends of the Country "for his life's work in defense of the environment," Honorary Member of the Cuban Society for Environmental Protection (ProNaturaleza). "Carlos J. Finlay" Medal, the highest decoration awarded by the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba to workers in science. Academy Prize for the "Mammals of Cuba" Project, "as one of the significant results of Cuban science in 2008."

He received the Category of Merit Researcher from CITMA. National Prize for Cultural Heritage 2021.

Fundamental Contributions
With extensive scientific output expressed in dozens of publications, his three classic works stand out for what they represent for Cuban zoology and the hemisphere: The Bats of Cuba, Synopsis of Cuban Cave Fauna, and Compendium of Living and Extinct Cuban Terrestrial Mammals.

Likewise, his contributions to the museology of natural history are also notable, especially in the theoretical-practical area of exhibition creation and audience studies.

Gilberto Silva Taboada remains active and employed at the National Museum of Natural History in Havana, Cuba. He is an example of humility, modesty, dedication to science, and rigor in fulfilling his duty as a scientist and Cuban.