Blue iguanas no longer critically endangered

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Time Out
Jan 5, 2006
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Blue iguanas no longer critically endangered
Blue iguanas on Grand Cayman island are no longer considered a critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A decade ago, there were just 10 to 25 blue iguanas living in the wild and they were listed as critically endangered. But now that the wild population has risen to 750, and has downlisted to endangered, due in part to its breeding program.

the Vancouver Sun:
Blue iguanas no longer critically endangered

wiki:
Blue Iguana Recovery Programme

The Blue Iguana Recovery Programme grew from a small project started within the National Trust for the Cayman Islands in 1990. It is now a partnership, linking the Trust with the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, National Trust Cayman Islands, Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, International Reptile Conservation Foundation, IRCF, and the European Commission.[27] This program operates under a special exemption from provisions in the Animals Law of the Cayman Islands which normally would make it illegal for anyone to kill, capture, or keep iguanas.[19][37] BIRP's conservation strategy involves generating large numbers of genetically diverse hatchlings, head-starting[42] them for two years where their chance of survival in the wild is high, and using these animals to rebuild a series of wild sub-populations in protected, managed natural areas.[1][19][43] This is accompanied by field research, nest site protection, and monitoring of the released animals.[31][44][45] A rapid numerical increase from a maximum possible number of founding stock is sought to minimize loss of genetic diversity caused by the "population bottleneck".[19]

Restored sub-populations are already present in two non-contiguous areas—the Salina Reserve and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.[13] Habitat protection is still vital,[13][19][27] as the Salina Reserve has only 88 acres (360,000 m2) of dry shrubland, which is not enough to sustain the 1,000 Blue Iguanas that must be restored to the wild to remove this species from the Critically Endangered List.[16][19] Additional separate sub-populations will be restored in one or more other areas.[19] The overall captive population is likely to remain genetically fragmented in the long term.[19] Individuals will be translocated between sub-populations to maintain gene flow so that the entire population remains a single genetic management unit.[19][40] When the wild sub-populations have reached the carrying capacity of their respective protected areas, release of head-started animals will be phased out, and they will be left to reproduce naturally.[19] In addition, guided by research and monitoring, control or eradication of non-native predators will be implemented to the degree necessary to allow young Blue Iguanas to survive to maturity in sufficient numbers to maintain these sub-populations.[19][40]

Maintenance of Blue Iguanas in the wild requires active management into the indefinite future.[19] To sustain this activity, a range of commercial activities generates the funding required, while an ongoing education and awareness effort ensures continued involvement and support by the local community.

Blue Iguana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia