An Iguana on the Edge

Part 2 of Anegada Series

Apologies for the two-week hiatus. Life does have a tendency to get in the way of blogging. But excuses be damned, one should always find the time. Anyway, where were we?

The island of Anegada and its imperiled inhabitants: Cyclura pinquis, a.k.a. the Anegada Ground Iguana. Words that are uttered far too often but unfortunately also apply well here are: on the brink of extinction. This species faces threats on all fronts: from introduced predators, habitat loss, and climate change. But before we deal with its status, let’s look into the reptiles themselves, and why anyone would care if they go extinct.

Before we go any further, a quick note, species in the genus Cyclura are markedly different than those in Iguana, even though they are both in the family Iguanidae. They are typically not arboreal, have more limited ranges, and have smaller clutch sizes, and thus, lower reproductive rates. In addition to these traits, and perhaps because of them, all Cyclura are endangered (at varying levels). So, the next time someone mentions their pet iguana or some huge lizard they saw on their most recent holiday in Costa Rica, know that they are not talking about these species. To give you a better idea of the differences between these varied species, I have reproduced a few images below. All of these species live exclusively on Caribbean islands, with the exception of the common Green Iguana (once again in the family Iguana and not Cyclura).

Anyway, back to C. pinquis. Despite its dull appearance, this species is important. It is the most basal of any Cyclura species. Translation: this is the most ancient lineage of Caribbean rock iguana and has the most direct link to the original ancestor of these iguanas, that likely hitched a ride across the sea from Latin America. And no, not on ships or even canoes, but on rafts of floating vegetation, likely as a result of hurricanes, millions of years ago.

Next time we head back to this Caribbean island, I will delve more closely into the challenges that this species faces and the outstanding conservation work that is currently being done to save them.