Conservation is always a challenging exercise, balancing the needs of current communities with the desire to sustain the best of earlier environments. Often the need for such efforts only become apparent when the problems have reached a crisis point - as in the case of the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana.

This unique and magnificent creature is endemic to Grand Cayman - which means that it is found nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately it stands on the brink of extinction.

In 1938,C. Bernard Lewis, a zoologist in a scientific expedition from Oxford University in England, doubted that "more than a dozen individuals still exist on the island" and quoted East End people as saying that "guanas" had become so scarce that it was no longer worthwhile to hunt them. A two-week field study commissioned by the Cayman Islands Government in 1981, conducted by Dr. Roger Avery from Bristol University, England, was no more optimistic and, soon after its formation in 1987, the National Trust for the Cayman Islands began advocating Avery's recommendations.

At first the problems seemed insurmountable. The iguana had already disappeared from all but the eastern end of Grand Cayman. Rapid development had deprived them of most of their habitat; illegal trapping removed adults of breeding age; feral dogs and cats hunted them and vehicles crushed those venturing onto the increasingly busy roads.

The Trust's Blue Iguana Recovery Programme was set up in 1990. It is an integrated programme, which combines field research, captive breeding, public education, habitat protection and reintroduction. It's goal is to secure wild, reproducing populations of this animal in protected areas, in such a way that their long-term future becomes secure without the need for constant human intervention.

The Programme received an early boost when two females were found to have established breeding territories in a traditional farm area. In-depth studies of the site made it possible to deduce the iguanas dietary and habitat requirements. Field research among the Rock Iguanas on Little Cayman, which are related, also provided important information.

During 1992, the Trust's Salina Reserve was surveyed as an appropriate habitat. Although only a tiny proportion of the site (two acres out of some 625) was found to be suitable, trial releases of radio-tagged, sterile, hybrid iguanas took place in 1993. Survival rates were high and the reptiles' adaptation to the wild occurred with surprisingly few problems. The decision was made to proceed with the releases in the area while work continued to identify other sites.

The number of fertile eggs laid by the captive iguanas was, however, disappointingly low. In 1995,specialists from San Diego and Fort Worth zoos and Texas A&M University in the US visited Cayman to assist. They took blood samples from the breeding stock for genetic analysis, to try and establish the optimum pairings for future mating. As expected, the iguana population was severely inbred.

Throughout the Programme, the Trust has been fortunate to receive valuable help from many quarters including the Cayman Islands Government; World Wide Fund for Nature (UK); Foundation for Wildlife Conservation Inc.; Zoological Society of Milwaukee County; National Zoo in Washington D.C.; Fort Worth Zoo; Texas A&M University; Nixon-Griffis Foundation; Life Fellowship Bird Sanctuary; Destron/IDI and Cayman Veterinary Associates have all contributed money, expertise or both. One great strength of the Programme comes from the dedicated work of a small group of volunteers who care for the captive iguana by daily feeding and cleaning of the cages at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. More remains to be done, however. In particular, it is vital that adequate controls are put in place to reduce the impact of both feral and domestic dogs and cats.

During the last few years the Programme has achieved fantastic success. Though Hurricane Ivan brought hardships in September 2004, the difficulties were overcome by year’s end, when the Programme released its first batch of head-started Blue Iguanas. The young iguanas adapted to life in the wild admirable, quickly establishing territories and foraging. Another release in 2005 bolstered their numbers. The largest release to date will add 114 Blue Iguanas, effectively doubling the Salina population.

Also in 2006, BIRP staff allowed a few of the nests in the Botanic Park to hatch naturally, allowing attachment of identification instruments and the capability to obtain diverse measurements. Infant Blue Iguanas were then replaced at their respective nest sites. This afforded the Programme with the first opportunity to observe Blue Iguana infants in a semi-natural, free-roaming environment. Adding to this great news are reports of the first wild nests in Salina Reserve.

While successful, the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme is still far from the goal of 1000 wild Blue Iguanas. Community and volunteer support continues to be invaluable, and will doubtless remain so forever.

Last Updated: 26 Jun 2012