Skip to main content

Grand Cayman Blue Iguana

Grand Cayman Blue Iguanas (or Grand Cayman Iguana, or even just Blue Iguana) are extremely endangered in the wild, and have been for quite some time. In fact, they are the most endangered iguana in the entire world. Their species name, lewisi, comes from the naturalist who first wrote about them, Bernard C. Lewis. Even back in 1938, Lewis understood their rarity, stating that he doubted more than a dozen even lived on the island.

Blue Iguanas live naturally in only one location, Grand Cayman, a 76 square mile island in the Caribbean Sea. It is the largest animal native to the island, growing 5 feet long and weight 25-30lbs. These iguanas are also one of the longest-lived species of  lizard, with the oldest on record dying at the age of 69.

Like most iguanas, Grand Caymans are herbivores. Studies show that their diet entails 45 different species of plant, with 80% of their overall consumption coming from leaves, and the remaining 20% from fruit. These iguanas are solitary animals, with females guarding a single territory and males alternating between multiple locations. During mating season, the males will try and extend their range further, encompassing as many female territories as possible. Females stop eating in order to make room for the 20ish eggs that she will lay. Iguanas, like most reptiles, do not assist in raising their young.

Groups are now working diligently to restore the species in the wild. A Nation Trust has been set up, which receives assistance not only from the local government, but also from zoos and organizations from around the world. There are now over 300 iguanas in the wild, with hopes to get the number up over 1,000, which would remove its Critically Endangered ranking. However, steps still need to be taken to ensure that their habitat is protected, as human factors, along with dog and cat populations, still threaten the species.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

  1. NathanJune 8, 2010 at 12:54 AM

    That is incredible that they can live as long as 69 years. It is nice to see that they are trying to get the population back to healthy levels. It is definitely tough when they are limited by geographic location.

    Great post!
    Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  2. LaurenJune 8, 2010 at 7:30 AM

    Yeah, the geographic location seems to be the biggest hindrance at this point. I wasn't able to find exact numbers, but it appears that the captive populations are doing extremely well. Grand Cayman has been so populated that finding safe places to reintroduce the Iguanas to is difficult.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a...
59 comments
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more

Banggai Cardinalfish

Pterapogon kauderni The Banggai Cardinalfish is a small tropical fish that is becoming very rare in the wild, even though it has been successfully bred in captivity. You will only find these small, 3in long fish around the Banggai Islands of Indonesia. They are the only members of their genus, and you can tell them apart from other Cardinalfish by their three-striped bodies, tasseled first dorsal fin, long second dorsal, and their deep-forked tail fins. Banggai Cardinalfish are diurnal and live in small groups of about a dozen members. They are opportunistic feeders who dine on whatever smaller plants and animals they can find. Courtship and mating is pretty interesting for these guys-- females are the ones who initiate. They isolate a male and the pair will perform various courtship rituals before spawning. The Cardinalfish are mouthbrooders, which means that the males take the fertilized eggs (up to 90 of them) into their mouths and incubate them for up to 30 days. During t...
37 comments
Read more