Blues doing well but remain under pressure

(CNS): With over 60 baby blues already hatched this season at the Blue Iguana Conservation (BIC) facility at the Botanic Park, Cayman’s iconic but endangered iguana is doing well. But the same pressures that pushed it to the brink of extinction remain and researchers are urging people to stay vigilant about the threats, drive considerately and practice responsible pet ownership to keep the recovery of this endemic species on track.

This year is set to be one of the strongest breeding seasons in recent years, and the new arrivals are housed in a secure separate area, where visitors can still see these new blues when they visit the National Trust facility.

And while 2020 looks like it is going to be a great year for the breeding programme, with more hatchlings expected to emerge in the coming days, the long-term future of the blue iguana is a long way from being a sure thing.

“Wild blue iguanas face many challenges, so their survival is precarious,” said BIC Operations Manager Luke Harding in a release about the current status of this important programme.

While released captive-bred iguanas can and do survive and reproduce successfully in the protected reserves, the research shows that the overall population remains under significant pressure. “This makes the importance of this year’s arrivals even more of a momentous event to continue ensuring a future for our charismatic blue iguanas,” Harding said, but warned that there is still a long way to go.

“Despite the tremendous success of Blue Iguana Conservation to date, we need to be very conscious that we are still in the early stages of securing a sustainable population of wild blue iguanas. Most of the threats that drove this species towards extinction are still prevalent on this island, along with newly emerging threats, so there is much work still to be done,” he said.

The researchers work tirelessly to conserve the blues but they cannot do it alone and continued to rely on the public to help preserve these incredible iguanas.

“We encourage our community to stay vigilant about the threats to the blues and, wherever possible, try to be an active part of the solution by adhering to simple rules, such as driving considerately, practicing responsible pet ownership and staying actively involved with BIC through our social media platforms, facility tours and fundraising events,” Harding added.

Tours of the BIC facility are available
Tuesdays – Saturdays 10:30; 11:30; 14:00 and Sundays 10:30; 11:30.

For more information visit the National Trust website