Endangered blue iguana run over on Queens Highway
(CNS): An unidentified motorist ran over and killed a six-year-old male blue iguana in East End this week, just as it was likely on the lookout for a mate. Despite the recent installation of signs along the Queens Highway, the critically endangered iguanas are still at risk from careless drivers. The Department of Environment (DoE) is urging all motorists travelling through the eastern districts to look out for blue iguanas, especially at this time of year, when they are likely to be on the move and could be wandering into the road as they seek out a mate at the start of their breeding season.
Officials from the DoE Terrestrial Resources Unit said on social media that they were “saddened” by the latest death of a blue. It was witnessed by a member of the team, who said that the vehicle had “accidentally run over and killed” the iguana on Monday in East End.
The Department of Environment (DoE) urges all motorists travelling through Grand Cayman’s eastern districts to look out…
Posted by Doe Cayman on Tuesday, 30 October 2018
The relatively young male blue had been one of several animals released into the Salinas Reserve by the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme. Despite the work of staff and volunteers at the National Trust-managed project, which brought the unique blue iguana back from the brink of extinction, the species is still not out of the woods.
Aside from the threat to their habitat from development, feral pets and even a potential chicken farm on the edge of their reserve, the animals are threatened by the explosion of the green iguana population, which competes with the blue for both food and habitat.
The nationwide green cull, which began this week to significantly reduce an estimated 1.6 million greens, which are causing enormous damage to the environment, is a vital part of the protection of the native blue iguanas.
But despite the work that has gone into boosting the number of blues and creating protective habitats for them, the risk posed by traffic remains. The DoE recently placed several signs along the road to warn people to look out for the iguanas, but it appears drivers are still not paying close enough attention.
Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a blue and green iguana while driving 40 mph down the road. With the green iguana culling in progress it’s not far fetched for people to purposely drive over iguanas. It could have been a case of mistaken identity and the driver thought it was a green iguana and wanted to do their part in the culling. It’s just collateral damage from the culling probably.
@ Anonymous 7:23. I think so too. It is really unfortunate. I think there needs to be a greater emphasis on educating residents on the differences between the two species. Hopefully the registered cullers are not killing blue iguanas.
I really think some people are going over the top with this ridiculous nonsense! While I don’t condone the erratic drivers on this island and feel that no one should deliberately knock down any living creature, some things are unavoidable. No one should slam on the brakes and certainly not swerve to avoid any animal. This action could prove fatal for the driver and indeed any other driver on the road. Every driver should act responsibly and certainly slow down especially in built up areas. However, these iguanas just dart out on the road and due to the constant advertisement of the need to cull these nuisance green iguanas, how do you expect most people to distinguish one from the other. Tourists wouldn’t be able to that’s for sure. Although I feel the protection of these blue iguanas and turtles is extremely important to these islands, I feel more concern should be directed to the multiple accidents and the death of innocent people due to irresponsible drunk and drugged up drivers.
Here’s a question: how are we going to kill the greens in the dense dry shrubland the blues love? Isn’t there enough suitable habitat for the greens for them to just keep breeding from those locations and filtering back out indefinitely into the built-up areas?
It is sad how the Botanic Park restricted views and access to the blues to visitors. I think it has risked disconnecting the population from these creatures. In the past going to the park guaranteed a sight of a blue. Now it doesn’t. Such a shame.
err last time I went (a month ago) I saw at least 5 or 6 blue iguanas. Some roaming free and some in the breeding pens.
Why not build a wall around the reserve similar to Jurassic Park? We have the money for a lame brain iguana cull, $9,000,000 but can not possibley build a fence of say $1,300;000 to protect the very creature that is unique to cayman and is endangered. Do you understand why people fed up? The poor person was probably trying to get to work to make living yet they are to blame SMH
Iguanas…climb.
blue iguanas do not climb….research it
Have you even the sloghtest idea of how long a fence would have to be to surround the Salinas reserve and the areas the blues have been released into? It would cost a fortune. And to the other posters comment, iguanas not only climb, they dig too. You are not talking a simple wall or fence here.
Build the wall!
Please protect the blue however the green has to go.
To me not a big issue, accidents happen, on the positive no humans were injured. Saw a lady nearly cause a major pileup stopping mid traffic to let a green cross the road. Impending dump truck nearly took all our lives.
Would you fail a driving test if you stopped for an iguana ( regardless of color) and caused an accident?
Love the blues when I can spot one, hate the greens that defecate all over my deck and decimate my backyard farm. Glad CIG is finally making the effort to rid this nuisance regardless of the tree hugger not in my backyard bullshit.
I’ve never accidentally hit an animal on the road in my 10 years on island. People here drive like maniacs and don’t pay attention or do this on purpose.
I love the blues but they are not particularly aboreal (animals living in trees) While they can climb they most likely won’t and chances are they will be eaten first by dogs, cats or in this case made road meat by the obvious. Sad indeed!!!
What should really be done in areas where the blue iguanas habitat , is make those areas 25mph , and no excuses when you’re are caught exceeding the speed limits .
It also doesn’t help that they probably blend in with the road…
“At risk from careless drivers?” I think this a bit of a stretch. Sad indeed but not intended I hope. Careless driving is more like swerving or braking hard to avoid it and then causing an accident.
Surely a tourist on their east end safari can be excused. Even when they are on the wrong side of the road I still wouldn’t use careless, more like oblivious.
Is this man arrested?
While I agree that no one should purposely kill the blues it’s hard to avoid a lethargic lizzard on the roadway.
In reality, blue iguanas can not climb, a significant factor which will ultimately lead to preditorial extinction in the wild.
With the explosion of the invasive green iguana population and recent cull efforts to reduce the takeover, most motorists have a bullseye set for these reptiles.
Honestly it would be difficult to differentiate between the two at 50mph on Queens highway bearing in mind the law prescribes stiff fines and even imprisonment for purposeful death.
Maybe the blues are safer in captivity until we can control the greens. In my opinion they will not survive in the wild however I do appreciate the genuine efforts to save the species.
A good forensic expert should be able to tell who ran over and killed the blue iguana , by the tire track that might have been left on the iguana . I have to believe that if the sign had been there to warn drivers that children are crossing the same thing would have happened to a child . Something has to be done with the CARELESS , DISRESPECTFUL , IRRESPONSIBLE ROAD USERS .
@Ron “a good forensic expert should be able to tell who ran over and killed the blue iguana”.
Are you for real? What nonsense!
7 :54 pm , do you even know anything about forensic ? Forensic investigation is not like smoking a splif or drinkig a beer , like you probably know about . Do you know that all make tire threads are different . I agree that it might be impossible to the fact that some cars operate on the road without threads on the tires .
@Ron,
For your information, I am a college educated CaymanIan with a very good career. I don’t smoke but must admit I like a few beers on weekends. Sounds like you need a few!
Government should make a law to ban the blues from wandering off the protected areas!
And how are you going to stop them being culled?
I agree. I think that the cullers should be fined a substantial amount if they bring in a blue
I do agree that motorist should always be careful behind the wheel for anything that moves, be it people, blue iguanas, green iguanas, crabs, dogs etc. however sometimes these reptiles just dart out in the road with no time to stop especially with other cars tearing down on your bumpers. They do not know that they are endangered!! Can the DOE confirm whether there is any risk of the blues destroying crops as well and what is the number they are aiming to preserve?
Well you’ve given every turd and their cousin permission to kill all the green ones. I wonder if any were given a colour test. 1 out of 12 men are colour blind and don’t know the difference between green and blue.
Well done. Now people are running over any iguana they see on the roads.
Most people won’t be able to differentiate between blues and greens on the roads. Sadly this blue iguana could have been intentionally run over by someone who mistook it for a green.
Color blind?
No, colour blind.
actually there really isn’t much difference in colour of the adult Green & Blue, the main differences wouldn’t be able to be noticed unless you got up close to one
CNS: Auntie is answering a question on this and currently gathering info, so that will be a good place to further discussions.