The Cuban Rain Forest and How My Hybrid will Survive There

Below are maps to show the location of Cuba. The first map of the Caribbean shows the general area that it is, in relation to some other countries such as South America and Mexico. The second map shows that Cuba was once split into six different provinces and the highlighted province is where the Polymita Picta snails are located.

WORLDATLAS, 2015. Cuba [9 November 2015]. Available from:
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/cu.htm

GEOCITIES, 2009. The Distribution of Polymita [9 November 2015].
Available from: http://www.oocities.org/eureka/Gold/9440/polymita/polydist.html

The Polymita tree snail is endemic (native to) to what was the most eastern province of Cuba, called Oriente (this province has been split into five provinces, though the name is still used to describe this area of Cuba). The snails are widespread through the province, but different types are endemic to different geographical areas.

There are various sub species of snail within the Polymita species and the specific snail I am looking at - Polymita Picta - is only found in the very south eastern corner of Oriente, in the province of Guantanamo, as shown on the map below:-

GEOCITIES, 2009. The Distribution of Polymita [9 November 2015].

Available from: http://www.oocities.org/eureka/Gold/9440/polymita/polydist.html

Below are some pictures showing the vegetation in Guantanamo province:-

The northern part of the province is mainly rainforest, which is where these painted snails find their preferred habitat as they live on tree trunks and branches, where they can find their food, mainly lichen, algae and fungi. They need a moist, warm climate to live in, sleeping in the winter and then coming out of hibernation in the spring when the first tropical rains arrive and they start looking for food. The snails are so beautifully coloured that it is impossible for them to hide from natural predators, such as the hawk and Cuban Kite, but their main predators are humans, as they are collected for use in handicrafts, such as jewellery and trinkets. As tourism increases in Cuba there are fears that this illegal poaching of the shells will grow to meet the demand from tourists. In September this year there was a report in the Cuban state daily paper Granma that the snails may become extinct, mainly due to this poaching and partly due to changing climate conditions, with lower rainfall and rising temperatures.

How Would My Hybrid Survive?
My human hybrid would live in the trees, as do the snails, but would need to construct some type of treehouse or canopy from the leaves and branches of the rainforest to protect her from the rain. Being high up in a tree would also protect her from human poachers, her main predator. There are no animals or plants in Cuba which are dangerous to humans, so my hybrid would also be safe.

Although the Polymita Picta snail is a herbivore, my human hybrid would need a larger food supply to satisfy her larger frame and would be omnivorous (eats meat and plants). Some of the wildlife found in Guantanamo province which would be available for her to feed on are pictured below :-

Bee Hummingbird - World's smallest special of bird