Sister Islands Rock Iguana (Photo courtesy of the National Trust)
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (CNS) – A survey on Little Cayman of Sister Islands Rock Iguanas (Cyclura nubila caymanensis) has shown that the species is in serious trouble as a result of cats and cars as well as habitat loss.
While this iguana is already listed as critically endangered, the latest count revealed a further unsustainable decline due to the impact of these combined threats. Reporting in the latest issue of Flicker, the magazine produced by the department of environment’s terrestrial resources unit, Vaughn Bodden documents the depressing results.
“The total reproductive output is being reduced by high breeding adult mortality and recruitment is being reduced by high hatchling mortality,” he wrote.
To save this indigenous iguana, Bodden recommended that the feral cat population on Little Cayman must be controlled and responsible pet husbandry promoted. He also noted the need for enforcement of road safety laws and more consideration for the iguanas.
The population size in Little Cayman is now estimated to be 1,786, a substantial decline from the 2015 and 2014 surveys, when the population was said to be 2,915. Sadly, there may be even fewer, given the survey method.
Bodden explained in his report that the count was done mostly near to the roads, as the iguanas enjoy sunning themselves on the tarmac, and therefore the density models were probably biased on the high side. Given the loss of hatchlings, largely to cats, and the adults being run down by vehicles, there are real concerns about the preservation of this critically endangered reptile on Little Cayman.
To add to the bad news, the DoE believes that the population on Cayman Brac is in even more trouble. Although there is no current population estimate, they have reason to believe it is even lower but they will be conducting a survey there later this year to find out.
In the meantime, Bodden said, management actions are required on both islands to mitigate the threats and “safeguard this unique species from extinction”.
Republished with permission of Cayman News Service
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Are you sure the iguana are not being caught by other island visitors and eaten. The Vincentians slaughter hundreds every year because they make a change from eating chicken backs. In most places in the world chicken backs are used in dog feed, in SVG its probably the staple diet. They still stick to the slave diet of their ancestors because many are now pseudo slaves under the control of the family dynasty there.