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Associations

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Young Grand Cayman rock iguanas are heavily preyed upon by a variety invasive species, including feral cats, mongooses, dogs, rats, and pigs. Predation by feral exotics is regarded as one of the major threats to the species and is greatly responsible for the critical population decline. Rats can cause severe injury to hatchlings and may cause mortality. The primary native predator of hatchlings is Alsophis cantherigerus. Adult Grand Cayman rock iguanas have no natural predators, but they are threatened by roaming dogs. Adults are also trapped and killed by humans. Ground iguanas may use head bobbing to scare away predators.

Known Predators:

  • Alsophis cantherigerus
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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Morphology

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas are among the largest lizards in the Western Hemisphere, weighing over 11 kg and measuring over 1.5 m from head to tail. Males are typically larger than females. Snout-vent length can measure as long as 51.5 cm in males and 41.5 cm in females, and the tail is of equal length.

Grand Cayman rock iguanas are characterized by even, stiff dorsal spines and a spineless dewlap. Their body is covered in scales, and some enlarged scales are present on the head region. Young iguanas have a gray base color with alternating dark gray and cream chevrons. As they mature, the juvenile pattern fades, and the hatchling base color is replaced by a blue-gray base complexion. Some dark chevrons are retained in adulthood. This blue-gray color is typical of ground iguanas when resting. However, ground iguanas are better known for the stunning shades of turquoise blue they take on during the mating season. For this reason, C. nubila lewisi is also known as the blue iguana.

Range mass: >11 (high) kg.

Range length: >1.5 (high) mm.

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Life Expectancy

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It is believed that Grand Cayman rock iguanas are among the longest lived species of lizard. In the wild, they are thought to reach ages of at least 25 to 40 years. However, rock iguanas can grow much older when kept in captivity. The longest living member of this species was a captive iguana known as “Godzilla” who survived to an estimated 69 years. It is doubtful, however, that wild iguanas can survive to this age, because Godzilla required extraordinary maintenance in the years before his death.

Range lifespan
Status: captivity:
69 (high) years.

Typical lifespan
Status: wild:
25 to 40 years.

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Habitat

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas are ground dwelling and may occupy a number of habitats including forest, grassland, and coastal regions, as well as human-modified habitats. They mainly occur in natural xerophytic shrubland and along the interfaces between farm clearings and canopy dry forest. Farms provide a variety of resources such as vegetation, fallen fruit, and nesting soil.

Grand Cayman rock iguanas spend their nights in retreats such as caves and crevices found within eroded rock, usually heavily eroded limestone. Although iguanas preferentially select natural rock substrate for retreat, they also utilize artificial retreats such as piles of construction material and spaces under buildings. Whereas adults are primarily terrestrial, younger individuals tend to be more arboreal. Occasionally, Grand Cayman ground iguanas may retreat in tree hollows or exposed on tree limbs.

Habitat Regions: terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest

Aquatic Biomes: coastal

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Behavior

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas use visual signals, such as head-bobbing, to communicate. They also communicate using pheromones, which are released from femoral pores located on the thighs of males.

Communication Channels: visual ; chemical

Other Communication Modes: pheromones

Perception Channels: visual ; chemical

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Conservation Status

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Cyclura nubila lewisi is one of the fastest disappearing and most critically endangered species on Earth. The decline of Grand Cayman rock iguanas likely began in pre-Colombian times when they were hunted for food by native Indians of the Arawak and Lucayan tribes. More severe decline began with European settlement of the Cayman Islands. As the human population increased, extensive habitat was cleared for agriculture as well as residential and commercial developments. Today, habitat loss is the main factor threatening extinction of Grand Cayman rock iguanas. Construction of vehicular roads resulted in further habitat destruction and has brought fast-moving traffic into remnant habitats. This occasionally results in vehicular deaths.

Another major threat associated with European settlement was the introduction of invasive species to the island, such as cattle, goats, pigs, rats, cats and dogs. Grand Cayman rock iguanas face predation by or competition with these introduced animals. Less frequently, iguanas may be illegally trapped or shot at by farmers who perceive iguanas as a threat to their crops.

The National Trust for the Cayman Islands established The Blue Iguana Recovery Programme in 1990. This conservation program incorporates research, habitat protection, captive breeding, reintroduction, and conservation education. Despite protection of 2000 acres of dry forests and mangrove wetlands within the Cayman Islands, suitable protected land for Grand Cayman rock iguanas is very scarce.

The Blue Iguana Recovery Programme has been successfully breeding C. nubila lewisi in captivity since 1990. Members of this species are reared until they are 2 years old and released into the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park on Grand Cayman. These young iguanas help to supplement existing wild populations and also to establish new wild populations in protected areas.

Grand Cayman rock iguanas are fully protected under local legislation and are considered critically endangered by the IUCN. It is illegal to kill, capture, or hold members of this species in captivity. Furthermore, international trade of this species is prohibited, as it is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

US Federal List: endangered

CITES: appendix i

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: critically endangered

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Gail McCormick, Special Projects
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Life Cycle

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas lay their eggs in a nest chamber that is dug about a foot below the surface of the soil. While in the nest, eggs take up moisture from the earth. They gradually fill out until they are tight and under slight pressure. On average, Cyclura eggs are among the largest of all lizards. Eggs hatch in 65 to 100 days depending on temperature. The process of hatching may take longer than 12 hours. Hatchlings cut through the leathery egg shell using a microscopic “egg tooth” on the tip of their jaw.

The combined effort of many hatchlings is required to dig out of the nest chambers. Occasionally Ground Cayman rock iguanas do not emerge from the next chamber for as long as two weeks after hatching. Throughout this period, hatchlings survive off of the remaining egg yolk stored inside their abdomen. They can live off of yolk remains for weeks before needing to feed or drink.

Young iguanas are independent after hatching. They tend to be arboreal and spend most of their young life in trees in order to avoid terrestrial predators.

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Gail McCormick, Special Projects
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Benefits

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas may feed on and disrupt agricultural crops.

Negative Impacts: crop pest

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Benefits

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas once served as a food item to the native people of the Grand Cayman. Currently, this species is a major attraction for ecotourists. Rock iguanas are occasionally illegally captured, sold, and kept as pets.

Positive Impacts: pet trade ; food ; ecotourism

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Gail McCormick, Special Projects
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Associations

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas are important seed dispersers of many native plants.

Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Gail McCormick, Special Projects
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Trophic Strategy

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas are primarily herbivorous, consuming mostly plant matter from at least 45 plant species in 24 different families. Leaves and stems are consumed most frequently, while fruits, nuts, and flowers are consumed in smaller quantities. Carnivory makes up a small percentage of the diet. This includes predation of invertebrates such as insects, slugs, and moth larvae. Grand Cayman rock iguanas have also been observed ingesting small rocks, soil, feces, bits of shedding, and fungi.

Animal Foods: insects

Plant Foods: leaves; wood, bark, or stems; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit; flowers

Other Foods: fungus; dung

Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore , Frugivore )

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Distribution

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas, Cyclura nubila lewisi, are endemic to the Caribbean island of Grand Cayman. They were formerly widespread in dry and coastal habitats throughout the island, but due to severe habitat loss and predation, they are now found only in the High Rock-Battle Hill area to the east and south of the Queen’s Highway.

Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )

Other Geographic Terms: island endemic

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Gail McCormick, Special Projects
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Reproduction

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Grand Cayman rock iguanas are solitary except during the mating season. Mating is generally polygamous, but some individuals may also be promiscuous or monogamous. During the breeding season, the home range of a dominant male frequently overlaps that of one or more females.

Throughout the breeding season, Grand Cayman rock iguanas take on an intense blue coloration. In the spring, hormones surge and males begin to reassert dominance. Males lose weight during this time, as they devote their energy to breeding and dominating other males. Males expand their territory range, attempting to monopolize as many female territories as possible. Males in overlapping territories challenge each other, and, in most cases, smaller iguanas flee from larger individuals. Physical contact and fighting is rare and is usually restricted to individuals of similiar size. Fights can be vicious and bloody. Toes, tail tips, crest spines, and chunks of skin may be torn off in combat.

By March, the abdomen of female Grand Cayman rock iguanas is swollen, as their eggs have formed inside them. They do not become receptive to breeding until late April. Females generally avoid males until they begin to mate in May, retreating into their rock holes whenever males are nearby. Gravid females reduce food intake about 2 weeks before oviposition, because their digestive tract is squeezed by the expanding mass of eggs. They also increase activity levels during this time.

Copulation is preceded by a mating ritual. A male bobs its head then circles around behind a female. He grasps the nape of her neck and attempts to restrain her. The male maneuvers his tail under that of the female and positions himself for intromission. Copulation rarely lasts longer than 30 to 90 seconds, and a pair rarely mates more than once or twice per day. Mature pregnant females display a distended abdomen, and the outline of individual eggs may be seen.

At the end of the receptive period, female Grand Cayman rock iguanas become intolerant of males and chase them out of their territories. Females become so aggressive, in fact, that a female can successfully scare off males much larger than herself.

Mating System: polygynous

The breeding season of Grand Cayman rock iguanas lasts 2 to 3 weeks between late May and mid June. Oviposition occurs approximately 40 days after fertilization, generally during the months of June and July. Females lay 1 to 22 eggs each year. Clutch size varies with age and size of females. Older, larger females are able to produce more eggs. Eggs are then incubated in the nest chamber that is dug about a foot below the surface of the soil. Incubation period ranges from 65 to 90 days. Temperature within the nest remains relatively constant at 30 to 33 degrees Celsius throughout this period. Grand Cayman rock iguanas usually begin breeding around 4 years of age in captivity. In the wild, they reach sexual maturity between 2 and 9 years of age.

Breeding interval: Female Grand Cayman rock iguanas breed once yearly.

Breeding season: Copulation occurs from late May until mid June. Egg-laying occurs approximately 40 days later in the months of June and July.

Range number of offspring: 1 to 22.

Average gestation period: 40 days.

Average time to independence: 0 minutes.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 2 to 9 years.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 2 to 9 years.

Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; sexual ; fertilization ; oviparous

Female Grand Cayman rock iguanas often travel outside of their normal range to locate suitable nesting areas. Nest burrows are dug in sand or soil exposed to the sun. Several days before laying their eggs, females begin to dig in preparation for building their nests. It may take an entire afternoon to excavate a complete nest burrow. Female ground iguanas remain in nest burrows overnight to lay their eggs. While most emerge the following morning, some females remain underground for up to 2 days while laying their eggs. A female iguana fills the nest burrow with sand until a large mound is formed over the nesting site. She then scatters leaves over the area until the nest is completely disguised. When the nest is secure, she allows herself to feed again but remains close to the next. Females guard their next site for several weeks to prevent other iguanas from using the area for nesting and to protect from predators. Hatchlings are vulnerable to native snakes, such as Alsophis cantherigeruscaymanus, and suffer an extremely high mortality rate.

There is no direct parental investment of Grand Cayman rock iguanas after hatching.

Parental Investment: no parental involvement; female parental care ; pre-fertilization (Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Female)

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Malmut, L. 2011. "Cyclura nubila lewisi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cyclura_nubila_lewisi.html
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Laura Malmut, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Gail McCormick, Special Projects
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Biology

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Females live a solitary life, warning others to stay away from their small territory with vigorous head bobbing gestures (4). Males and females come together only to breed, and, like all Cyclura, breed annually. 1 to 22 eggs are laid depending on the female's age and size (1), and are then incubated in the nest chamber that is dug about a foot below the surface of the soil (7). Hatchlings are vulnerable to native snakes (Alsophis cantherigerus caymanus) and have a high mortality rate (1). Primarily herbivorous, these iguanas have been observed to consume 45 different plant species from 24 different families (6) (7). When available, they also feed on fruit, and have even been seen feeding on fungus, crabs, soil, and excrement (7).
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Conservation

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The Cayman Island blue iguana is fully protected under local legislation, and kept out of international trade by its listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) (1). The National Trust for the Cayman Islands has established an integrated conservation programme incorporating research, habitat protection, captive breeding, re-introduction/restocking, and conservation education (7). These iguanas are being bred successfully in captivity and are subsequently released after two years into the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and Salina Reserve (1) (4). Blue iguana populations in this reserve are being promoted as a major ecotourism attraction, proving beneficial to both the Park and the iguanas (1). It seems that the future of wild blue iguanas must rest on managed populations in protected areas, but suitable land is scarce on Grand Cayman (4). Thus, despite encouraging conservation efforts, the Cayman Island blue iguana still clings to a precarious existence (5), and more protected land must be obtained if there is any hope of securing its future in the wild (4).
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Description

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Endemic to Grand Cayman, this magnificently striking blue iguana is one of the most endangered lizards on Earth (4). Indeed, at the time of its original description in 1940 the Cayman Island blue iguana was already considered to be on the brink of extinction (5). Blue iguanas normally possess a blue-grey complexion when resting (6) but are better known for the stunning azure blue they turn during the breeding season or when excited (4) (6). The Cayman Island blue iguana is a relatively large iguana (7), with males larger than females (2). Previously listed as the subspecies Cyclura nubila lewisi, this iguana has recently been recognized as a full species, Cyclura lewisi (1).
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Habitat

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These blue iguanas usually occupy dry evergreen thickets and bush land, as well as man-modified habitats (6) (7). These adaptable iguanas utilize a variety of natural and semi-disturbed habitats in response to temperature needs, food, nesting, predator pressure, and human interference (7).
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Range

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Once ranging throughout Grand Cayman, this iguana is now found only in the High Rock-Battle Hill area to the east and south of the Queen's Highway. The unmanaged wild population is sparse and dispersed, and estimated in 2002 at just 10 – 25 individuals (1).
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Status

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Classified as Critically Endangered (CR A2abce; B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v); C2a(i); D) on the IUCN Red List 2004 (1), and listed on Appendix I of CITES (3).
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Threats

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Once abundant, the Cayman Island blue iguana has been quietly heading for extinction in the wild since the colonization of the West Indian islands (4). Like other iguana species this beautiful creature is subject to many human-related threats, including: destruction of habitats for farming, residential and commercial developments; road casualties; trapping or shooting by farmers, who perceive iguanas as a threat to their crops; and predation by wild and domestic cats and dogs (4) (7). Large scale deforestation and road construction has also increased enormously in the eastern districts over the last decade, and is only expected to accelerate (7).
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Blue iguana

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The blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi), also known as the Grand Cayman ground iguana, Grand Cayman blue iguana or Cayman Island rock iguana, is an endangered species of lizard which is endemic to the island of Grand Cayman. It was previously considered to be a subspecies of the Cuban iguana, Cyclura nubila, but in a 2004 article Frederic J. Burton reclassified it as a separate species because according to him the genetic differences discovered four years earlier between the different C. nubila populations warranted this interpretation. The blue iguana is one of the longest-living species of lizard (possibly up to 69 years).

The preferred habitat for the blue iguana is rocky, sunlit, open areas in dry forests or near the shore, as the females must dig holes in the sand to lay eggs in June and July. A possible second clutch is laid in September. The blue iguana's herbivorous diet includes plants, fruits, and flowers. Its color is tan to gray with a bluish cast that is more pronounced during the breeding season and more so in males. It is large and heavy-bodied with a dorsal crest of short spines running from the base of the neck to the end of the tail.

The iguana was possibly abundant before European colonization; but fewer than 15 animals remained in the wild by 2003, and this wild population was predicted to become extinct within the first decade of the 21st century. The species' decline is mainly being driven by predation by cats and dogs, and indirectly by reduction in suitable habitat as fruit farms are converted to pasture for cattle grazing. Since 2004, hundreds of captive-bred animals have been released into a preserve on Grand Cayman run by a partnership headed by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, in an attempt to save the species. At least five non-profit organizations are working with the government of the Cayman Islands to ensure the survival of the blue iguana.

Taxonomy

Its specific name lewisi commemorates the name of the scientist who collected the holotype of this species, Charles Bernard Lewis.[4]

The closest relatives are the Cuban iguana (Cyclura nubila) and the Northern Bahamian rock iguana (C. cychlura). It can be genetically distinguished from the subspecies found on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac known as C. nubila caymanensis,[5] although it can interbreed with this subspecies and produce fertile offspring.[6]

In 1938 Lewis of the Institute of Jamaica joined an Oxford University biological expedition to the Cayman Islands. Lewis obtained two blue iguanas, a male and a female, which were later lodged with the Natural History Museum, London.[7] Chapman Grant, in an article published in 1940, formally described the blue iguana as an separate taxon for the first time, classifying it as the trinomial C. macleayi lewisi.[8][9] Albert Schwartz and Richard Thomas reclassified it as C. nubila lewisi in 1975, making it a subspecies of the Cuban iguana.[2] In his 2004 article Frederick Burton repeatedly states Schwartz and Carey reclassified it in a 1977 publication,[10] but he is mistaken.[2][3]

Burton, who runs the captive breeding program on the island, reclassified the blue iguana as a distinct species in 2004. Although it has almost identical head scale counts and patterns as C. nubila, most individuals of this taxon often have five auricular spines in as opposed to four in caymanensis, although this is not diagnostic, and individuals of the nominate subspecies shows either morphologies in similar proportions. Also most lewisi have an extra pair scales behind the prefrontals, although not always and individuals from the other populations may also have these. Thus Burton concluded that using scale characteristics these three taxa could not be told apart in a consistent manner. According to him most important difference between the lewisi population and the other two is skin color. Although skin color is a variable characteristic that is usually considered unsatisfactory in taxonomy, Burton thought that in this instance it might be appropriate. Although all three taxa hatch with the same color, as they grow older lewisi becomes more uniformly bluish, whereas the other taxa can be more variable in coloration, although Burton states that this characteristic is not reliable in many circumstances, such as rainy weather. Other reasons Burton gave for recognising lewisi as a separate species were geography, there is at least 108 kilometres separating the forms, which Burton then interpreted to mean that the populations were reproductively isolated, despite there being no reproductive barriers between the populations. Grant reported seeing caymanensis on Grand Cayman in 1940, but Burton states that this was likely a mistaken sighting made during rainy weather. Lastly Burton points to mitochondrial DNA analysis performed by Catherine Malone et al. in 2000; although the sample size was extremely small and there was some ambiguity, the different populations did have different haplotypes. Although Malone et al. found C. nubila sensu lato to be monophyletic, Burton claimed lewisi could be separated from the other two taxa without rendering C. nubila polyphyletic. Although none of this might be used to traditionally delineate a population as a species, he proposed using the "general lineage concept" introduced by de Queiroz in 1998 to do so anyway.[10]

Common names

This animal was originally called the Grand Cayman rock iguana,[11] or Grand Cayman blue rock iguana.[12] After separating this population taxonomically from the other Cayman Islands rock iguanas, Burton proposed a set of new vernacular names for the population in 2004: Grand Cayman blue iguana, Cayman blue iguana or for local colloquial use he proposed the simple abbreviated blue iguana.[10]

Note that the name "blue iguana" is also used for bright blue forms of the green iguana, Iguana iguana.[13]

Description

Blue iguana in forest off Wilderness Trail in Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, Grand Cayman

An example of island gigantism, the blue iguana is the largest native land animal on Grand Cayman with a total nose-to-tail length of 5 ft (1.5 m) and weighing as much as 30 lb (14 kg).[14][15] This is among the largest species of lizards in the Western Hemisphere.[11] The largest of the Cyclura, its body length is 20–30 in (510–760 mm) with a tail equal in length.[16] The blue iguana's toes are articulated to be efficient in digging and climbing trees.[17] The mature male's skin color ranges from dark grey to turquoise blue, whereas the female is more olive green to pale blue. Young animals tend to be uniformly dark brown or green with faint darker banding.[16] When they first emerge from the nest the neonates have an intricate pattern of eight dark dorsal chevrons from the crest of their necks to their pelvic area. These markings fade by the time the animal is one year old, changing to mottled gray and cream and eventually giving way to blue as adults. The adult blue iguana is typically dark gray matching the karst rock of its landscape. The animal changes its color to blue when it is in the presence of other iguanas to signal and establish territory. The blue color is more pronounced in males of the species.[18] Their distinctive black feet stand in contrast to their lighter overall body color. The blue iguana's eyes have a golden iris and red sclera.[16]

Grand Cayman blue iguana

Blue iguanas are sexually dimorphic;[17][14] males are larger and have more prominent dorsal crests as well as larger femoral pores on their thighs, which are used to release pheromones.[17] The male is larger than the female by one third of his body size.[18]

A female blue iguana sunning herself at the Royal Botanical Park

Distribution

The blue iguana is endemic to the island of Grand Cayman. As of 2012 the population can be found throughout the island Grand Cayman excluding the urban areas of Bodden Town, Gun Bay, Seven Mile Beach and West Bay.[1] One theory for how the taxon ended up on the island is that a single female Cuban iguana, C. nubila nubila, with eggs inside her drifted across the sea, perhaps during a storm.[19] Sometimes the Lesser Caymans iguana, C. nubila caymanensis, has been found on Grand Cayman.[10]

Ecology

Habitat

The blue iguana lives on Grand Cayman, the largest and westernmost of the Cayman Islands southwest of Cuba.

The blue iguana is found only on the island of Grand Cayman. Comparison with other Cyclura species in the region strongly suggests that there was once a coastal population of blue iguanas which was gradually displaced or extirpated by human settlements and the construction of roads. The blue iguana now only occurs inland in natural xerophytic shrubland and along the interfaces between farm clearings, roads, and gardens and closed-canopy dry forest or shrubland. The interior population is believed to have been attracted to agricultural clearings and fruit farms which provide thermoregulatory opportunities, herbaceous browse, fallen fruit, and nesting soil, but this brought the blue iguana into contact with humans and feral animals. Females often migrate to coastal areas to nest.[20] Blue iguanas released into the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park on Grand Cayman were radiotracked in 2004 to determine ranges for each animal. Females were found to occupy territories of 0.6 acres (2,400 m2) and males an average of 1.4 acres (5,700 m2) with overlap in common territories, indicating that they choose to maintain a population density of four to five animals per hectare.[21]

The blue iguanas occupy rock holes and tree cavities, and as adults are primarily terrestrial.[22] Although not known to be arboreal, it has been observed climbing trees 15 feet (4.6 m) and higher.[16] Younger individuals tend to be more arboreal.[22]

Diet

Like all Cyclura species, the blue iguana is primarily herbivorous, consuming leaves, stems, flowers, nuts, and fruits from over 45 species of plant.[23] The diet is very rarely supplemented with insects, crabs, slugs and fungi.[22] Blue iguanas have also been observed ingesting small rocks, soil, feces, and bits of shedding.[24]

Predators

Hatchlings are preyed upon by the native snake Alsophis cantherigerus. The adults have no natural predators.[22]

Longevity

Longevity in the wild is unknown but is presumed to be many decades. A blue iguana named "Godzilla" captured on Grand Cayman in 1950 by naturalist Ira Thompson was imported to the United States in 1985 by Ramon Noegel and sold to reptile importer and breeder, Tom Crutchfield in 1990.[25] Crutchfield donated Godzilla to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas in 1997 and the lizard remained there until its death in 2004.[25][26] Thompson estimated Godzilla to be 15 years of age at the time of his capture.[26] At an estimated 69 years of age (54 of which were spent in captivity), Godzilla may be the world's longest-living lizard for which there is reliable record.[26] A closely related Lesser Caymans iguana (C. nubila caymanensis) has been documented as living 33 years in captivity.[27]

Reproduction

Mating occurs from May through June.[16] Copulation is preceded by numerous head-bobs on the part of the male, who then circles around behind the female and grasps the nape of her neck.[16] He then attempts to restrain the female in order to manoeuvre his tail under hers to position himself for intromission (copulation).[16] Copulation generally lasts from 30 to 90 seconds, and a pair is rarely observed mating more than once or twice a day.[16] A clutch of anywhere from 1 to 21 eggs are usually laid in June or July depending on the size and age of the female, in nests excavated in pockets of earth exposed to the sun.[22][28] Several exploratory nests are begun before one is completed.[16] These burrows can range from 16 inches (0.41 m) to over 60 inches (1.5 m) in length, with an enlarged chamber at its terminal portion to allow the female to turn around.[16] The temperature within nests that have been monitored by researchers remained a constant 32 °C (90 °F) throughout the incubation period which ranges from 65 to 90 days.[16] The blue iguana's eggs are among the largest laid by any lizard.[16]

Individuals are aggressively territorial from the age of about three months onward.[22] They typically reach sexual maturity after four years of age in captivity.[22]

Conservation

Endangered status

A blue iguana on Grand Cayman

The blue iguana is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.[1] In 1988 the British researcher Roger Avery spent two weeks on the island and only observed three animals.[7] Surveys in 2003 indicated a total population in the range of 5–15 individuals.[22] In 2006 the iguana was one of the most endangered lizards on Earth.[29]

Restored free-roaming subpopulations in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and the Salina Reserve numbered approximately 125 individuals in total after an initial release in December 2005.[29] The restored subpopulation in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park has been breeding since 2001, and the subpopulation in the Salina Reserve was deemed to be breeding in 2006 after a nest of three hatched eggs was discovered in the wild.[30][31] In April 2007, after another large-scale release, there were 299 blue iguanas living in the wild, with hundreds more being raised in captivity on Grand Cayman.[30] In late 2012, the blue iguana recovery program estimated that the wild population had risen to approximately 750 individuals, and the IUCN subsequently downlisted the species from critically endangered to endangered.[32]

International trade in the species is regulated due to its listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.[1]

Causes of decline

The species is nearly extinct, and I doubt that more than a dozen individuals still exist on the island.... East End people say that since 1925 the "guanas"[sic] have become so scarce that it is no longer worth their while to hunt them.

— Chapman Grant, The Herpetology of the Cayman Islands[8]

Habitat destruction is the main factor threatening extinction for this iguana. Land clearance within remnant habitat is occurring for agriculture, road construction, and real estate development and speculation.[30] The conversion of traditional crop lands to cattle pasture is eliminating secondary blue iguana habitat.[1]

Predation and injury to hatchlings by rats, to hatchlings and sub-adults by feral cats, and killing of adults by pet dogs are all placing severe pressure on the remaining wild population.[30][1] Automobiles and motorscooters are an increasing cause of mortality as the iguanas rarely survive the collisions. Trapping and shooting is a comparatively minor concern, and has stopped according to the IUCN in 2012,[1] but before 1995 occasional trapping may have occurred.[12]

The common green iguana, (Iguana iguana), has been introduced from Honduras and is well-established on Grand Cayman as an invasive species. It far outnumbers the native blue iguana.[33][34] No direct negative consequences on the blue iguana due to this introduction are known, but the mere presence of the green iguana confuses public attitudes and understanding.[1][35] For example, the people of the island are told that blue iguanas are endangered and rare, but the green iguana looks very similar and are quite common in suburban areas.[35][36]

In 2008 six blue iguanas were found dead in the preserve within Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park on Grand Cayman. The iguanas were apparently killed by human vandals armed with knives and two of the slaughtered animals were gravid females about to lay eggs.[37][38]

The wild population of blue iguanas had been reduced from a near island-wide distribution to a non-viable, fragmented remnant.[30][33] By 2001 no young hatched in the unmanaged wild population were surviving to breeding age, meaning the population was functionally extinct, with only five animals remaining in the wild.[30]

Recovery efforts

In 1990, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association designated the genus Cyclura as their highest priority for conservation.[6] Their first project was an in situ captive breeding program for the blue iguana.[6]

One of the early difficulties encountered was that the captive stock of the early 1990s was found not to be pure.[16][6] It was discovered through DNA analysis that the captive population contained a number of animals that were hybrids with C. nubila caymanensis.[16][6] These hybrids were sterilized by means of hemipenectomies so that the program contain only pure-breeds.[15][22][6] This program was created to determine the exact genealogies of the limited gene pool of the remaining animals and DNA analysis revealed that the entire North American captive population was descended from a single pair of animals.[6]

As a hedge against disaster striking the blue iguana population on Grand Cayman, in 2004 an ex situ captive population was established in 25 zoos in the USA.[22][6] A minimum of 20 founder lines represented by at least 225 individuals is being maintained by captive breeding and recorded in a studbook for the species by Tandora Grant of the San Diego Zoo's Center for Conservation and Research for Endangered Species.[21][22][6] By 2002 the Indianapolis Zoo had success with breeding the blue iguana in captivity twice since the year 2000.[39]

In October 2006, hatchlings were released into the wild for the first time to boost the species and help bring them back from the brink of extinction.[29] Each released blue iguana wears a string of colored beads through its nuchal crest for visual identification at a distance, backed up by an implanted microchip and a high-resolution photograph of its head scales.[17] Head scale patterns are as unique among blue iguanas as fingerprints are among humans.[17]

The blue iguana is established in captivity, both in public and private collections.[14] There are very few pure-bred animals in private collections, animals in captive breeding programs are often hybrids with the Lesser Caymans Iguana (C. nubila caymanensis) and occasional hybrids with the Cuban Iguana (C. nubila nubila). Breeding in the pet trade minimizes the demand for wild-caught specimens.[14]

Blue Iguana Recovery Programme

Blue iguana resting on park bench off Wilderness Trail at QE II Botanic Park

The Blue Iguana Recovery Programme grew from a small project started in 1990 within the National Trust for the Cayman Islands. 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.[30] 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.[22][35] BIRP's conservation strategy involves generating large numbers of genetically diverse hatchlings, headstarting them for two years so that 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.[22][40] A rapid numerical increase from a maximum possible number of founding stock is sought to minimize loss of genetic diversity caused by a population bottleneck.[22]

Restored sub-populations are present in two non-contiguous areas —the Salina Reserve and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.[15] Habitat protection is still vital,[15][22][30] 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 were planned to be restored to the wild.[17][22] The 2001 plan called for additional sub-populations to be restored in one or more other areas. When the wild sub-populations have reached the carrying capacity of their respective protected areas, release of head-started animals will be phased out.[22]

The overall captive population is likely to remain genetically fragmented in the long term.[22] To maintain gene flow, individuals should be translocated between zoos.[6]

According to the 2001 plan, breeding of blue iguanas in the wild will require indefinite future management.[22] To sustain this activity, a range of commercial activities was hoped to generate the required funding. An education and awareness effort in 2007 was meant to ensure local involvement and support.[30][35]

In April 2019, one iguana laid 18 eggs for possible hatching. Any survivals will be the first successful breeding since 2015.[41]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Burton, F.J. (2012). "Cyclura lewisi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T44275A2994409. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T44275A2994409.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Schwartz, Albert; Thomas, Richard (1975). Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 1 — A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles. Special publication. Vol. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. p. 113. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.123681.
  3. ^ a b Species Cyclura lewisi at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
  4. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Cyclura lewisi, p. 157).
  5. ^ Malone, Catherine L.; Wheeler, Tana; Taylor, Jeremy F.; Davis, Scott K. (November 2000). "Phylogeography of the Caribbean Rock Iguana (Cyclura): Implications for Conservation and Insights on the Biogeographic History of the West Indies". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 17 (2): 269–279. doi:10.1006/mpev.2000.0836. PMID 11083940. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hudson, Richard D.; Alberts, Allison C. (2004). The Role of Zoos in the Conservation of West Indian Iguanas. Iguanas: Biology and Conservation. University of California Press. pp. 274–289. ISBN 978-0-520-23854-1.
  7. ^ a b "Blue Iguanas get helping hand to recovery". Cayman Net News. 2005-04-26. Archived from the original on 2008-02-05. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
  8. ^ a b Grant, Chapman (1940). "The Herpetology of the Cayman Islands". Bulletin of the Institute of Jamaica. 2: 1–55.
  9. ^ Hollingsworth, Bradford D. (2004). The Evolution of Iguanas an Overview and a Checklist of Species. Iguanas: Biology and Conservation. University of California Press. pp. 35–39. ISBN 978-0-520-23854-1.
  10. ^ a b c d Burton, Frederic J. (2004). "Revision to Species of Cyclura nubila lewisi, the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana" (PDF). Caribbean Journal of Science. 40 (2): 198–203. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  11. ^ a b ADW: Cyclura nubila lewisi: INFORMATION. Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu. Retrieved on 2012-12-19.
  12. ^ a b Wissman, Margaret (1995). "In Search of the Grand Cayman Blue Rock Iguana". Reptiles. 3 (2): 56–57.
  13. ^ "Axanthic Blue". Florida Iguana. Florida Iguana & Tortoise Breeders. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d De Vosjoli, Phillipe; David Blair (1992). The Green Iguana Manual. Escondido, California: Advanced Vivarium Systems. ISBN 1-882770-18-8.
  15. ^ a b c d Dorge, Ray (1996). "A Tour of the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana Captive-Breeding Facility". Reptiles: Guide to Keeping Reptiles and Amphibians. 4 (9): 32–42.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Blair, David (March 2000). West Indian Iguanas of the Genus Cyclura: Their Current Status in the Wild, Conservation Priorities and Efforts to Breed Them in Captivity (PDF) (Report). Northern California Herpetological Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-04-11. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
  17. ^ a b c d e f Winker, Carol (2007-02-08). "Iguanas get royal attention". Caymanian Compass. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
  18. ^ a b Burton, Fred (2004). "Color and Pattern in Grand Cayman Blue Iguanas". Iguana Journal of the International Iguana Society. 11 (3): 148–151.
  19. ^ Kenyon, Georgina (2005-09-17). "Pulling the blue iguana from the brink". New Scientist. Simone Coless (2517): 42–43.
  20. ^ Burton, Frederic (2005). "Salina Blues Update" (PDF). Blue Iguana Tales. Quarterly Update on Blue Iguana Recovery Project. 3 (4): 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-04-11. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
  21. ^ a b Burton, Fred (2006). "Blue Iguana Recovery Program: Iguana Specialist Group Meeting". Iguana: Journal of the International Iguana Society. 13 (2): 117.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Alberts, Allison (9 December 2004). The Grand Cayman Blue Iguana – Species Recovery Plan 2001–2006 (PDF). Grand Cayman: Blue Iguana Recovery Program. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
  23. ^ "Cyclura nubila lewisi". Animal Diversity Web.
  24. ^ "Cyclura nubila lewisi". Animal Diversity Web.
  25. ^ a b Adams, Colette (2004-09-01). "Requiem for Godzilla". Iguana: Journal of the International Iguana Society. 11 (3): 168–172.
  26. ^ a b c Adams, Colette (2004-05-26). "Obituary" (PDF). Iguana Specialist Group Newsletter. 7 (1): 2. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
  27. ^ Iverson, John; Smith, Geoffrey; Pieper, Lynne (2004). Factors Affecting Long-Term Growth of the Allen Cays Rock Iguana in the Bahamas. Iguanas: Biology and Conservation. University of California Press. p. 184. ISBN 978-0-520-23854-1.
  28. ^ Blair, David (1983). "Dragons of the Cayman: Rock Iguanas Cling to their Islands". Oceans Magazine. 16 (1): 31–33.
  29. ^ a b c "Hatchlings revive rarest lizard on earth". The Independent. 2006-10-26. p. 28.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i Hudson, Rick (2007-04-01). "Big Lizards, Big Problems". Reptiles. Vol. 15, no. 4. Irvine: BowTie Inc. pp. 54–61.
  31. ^ "Breeding Success for Rare Lizards". BBCNews/Science Nature. 2006-10-27. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
  32. ^ Grand Cayman Blue Iguana takes step back from extinction Archived 2012-11-11 at the Wayback Machine. IUCN (2012-10-20). Retrieved on 2012-12-19.
  33. ^ a b Mani, Bina (2002-07-17). "Wild Blue Iguanas plummeting towards extinction". Blue Iguana Recovery Program. Archived from the original on May 2, 2006. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  34. ^ Seidel, M; Franz, R (1994). "Amphibians and reptiles (exclusive of marine turtles) of the Cayman Islands". The Cayman Islands: natural history and biogeography. Kluwer Academic Publishers. p. 434. ISBN 978-0-7923-2462-1.
  35. ^ a b c d "Campaign on to Save Blue Iguanas". Cayman Net News. 2007-08-10. Archived from the original on 2008-04-14. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  36. ^ "Green and Blue a world of difference to Iguanas". Cayman Net News. 14 February 2006. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  37. ^ Kenyon, Georgina (2008-05-07). "Probe into giant iguana slaughter". BBC. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
  38. ^ "Rare Blue Iguanas Found Butchered". National Geographic. 2008-05-06. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  39. ^ "Iguanas Hatch in Indianapolis". Significant Efforts in Conservation. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 2002. p. 39.
  40. ^ Kenyon, Georgina (2005-05-23). "SOS call for ancient blue iguana". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
  41. ^ Serey, Alvaro; Young, Kayla (April 12, 2019). "Large blue iguana nest brings promise of healthy hatchlings". Cayman Compass. Retrieved 2019-04-15.

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Blue iguana: Brief Summary

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The blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi), also known as the Grand Cayman ground iguana, Grand Cayman blue iguana or Cayman Island rock iguana, is an endangered species of lizard which is endemic to the island of Grand Cayman. It was previously considered to be a subspecies of the Cuban iguana, Cyclura nubila, but in a 2004 article Frederic J. Burton reclassified it as a separate species because according to him the genetic differences discovered four years earlier between the different C. nubila populations warranted this interpretation. The blue iguana is one of the longest-living species of lizard (possibly up to 69 years).

The preferred habitat for the blue iguana is rocky, sunlit, open areas in dry forests or near the shore, as the females must dig holes in the sand to lay eggs in June and July. A possible second clutch is laid in September. The blue iguana's herbivorous diet includes plants, fruits, and flowers. Its color is tan to gray with a bluish cast that is more pronounced during the breeding season and more so in males. It is large and heavy-bodied with a dorsal crest of short spines running from the base of the neck to the end of the tail.

The iguana was possibly abundant before European colonization; but fewer than 15 animals remained in the wild by 2003, and this wild population was predicted to become extinct within the first decade of the 21st century. The species' decline is mainly being driven by predation by cats and dogs, and indirectly by reduction in suitable habitat as fruit farms are converted to pasture for cattle grazing. Since 2004, hundreds of captive-bred animals have been released into a preserve on Grand Cayman run by a partnership headed by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, in an attempt to save the species. At least five non-profit organizations are working with the government of the Cayman Islands to ensure the survival of the blue iguana.

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