Gilberto Silva Taboada

Biologist. He was part of the National Commission for the Academy of Sciences, 1962. He is current curator of mammals at the National Museum of Natural History, and member of its Scientific Council. Expert in taxonomy and distribution of terrestrial cave and freshwater invertebrates, with relevant scientific results: identification of keratinophilic fungi in soils; movement of leptospira and rabies in wild populations of mammals, systematics, ecology, behavior, conservation, biogeography, and mammalian paleontology. Leader and chief enforcer of projects awarded 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 Worldwide Fund for Wildlife (Toronto). Invited to international Events with Conferences on Preservation of Biodiversity of the Earth, American Museum of Natural History, New York, Second World Conference on Preservation and Conservation of Natural History Collections at the University of Cambridge, England, in the Meeting Darwin: "Removing the Taxonomic Impediment", Darwin, Australia. Recipient of numerous prizes and national and international awards including the Prize "Lazzaro Spallanzani" for the work of life in the study of bats, given (in the inaugural year of it) by the American Society for Research and Conservation of Bats (USA). Honorary Member of the Cuban Society of Zoology for his contribution to Cuban and Caribbean zoology, Recognition of the Economic Society of Friends of the Country for the work of his life in defense of the environment , Member of Honor of the Cuban Society for Environmental Protection (ProNaturaleza). He holds the Carlos J. Finlay Medal, the highest award granted by the State Council of the Republic of Cuba to science workers. Academy Award on Cuba Mammals project as one of the most relevant results of Cuban science in the year 2008 ". He received the Category of Merit Researcher by the Minister of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA).