NATIONAL PARKS TRUST RELEASE IGUANAS

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour and the BVI National Parks Trust are informing the general public that for the first time in the BVI, iguanas have been released back into their natural environment.

On October 8 and 10, 2003, the BVI National Parks Trust (NPT) and scientists from the Iguana Specialist Group (ISG), of the IUCN World Conservation Union, released a total of 24 Anegada Rock Iguanas. The iguanas were weighed, measured and re-beaded before being released, as well as tagged with radio transmitters so they can be monitored in the upcoming months. All the animals released were healthy, some already reaching age of reproduction. Persons facilitating the releases included Kelly Bradley, Lee Pangi, Jeff Lemm, Joseph Wasikwski, and Rick Hudson of ISG and Raymond Walker, Rondel Smith and Clinton Vanterpool of the BVI National Parks Trust.

The iguanas spent their juvenile lives in the head start facility located on Anegada. The facility, which started in 1997, was built by the NPT with help from the ISG with funding from the UK foreign and Commonwealth Office; after a census of the iguana population revealed that the number of iguanas in the wild were not sufficient to sustain the population. The biggest threats facing the iguanas were feral cats, which ate the juvenile iguanas before they were old enough to defend themselves. Other threats include other animals such as cows and donkeys, which the iguanas have to compete against for the same food supply. In the interim, the animals were fed a diet of carrots, broccoli and plants such as spinach, cedar flower, inkberries and wild nut meg, which they can find naturally in the wild.

It is hoped that the released iguanas will help to replenish the wild population. However, the National Parks Trust will continue to maintain the facility until threats facing the animals can be minimized. There are now approximately 85 iguanas in the facility, which will be released once they reach maturity.

The BVI National Parks Trust would like to thank the IUCN Iguana Specialist Group for their support and help in the project as well as the people of Anegada for their input in efforts to sustain the Anegada Rock Iguana population and their support of the Head start facility. It is hoped that a continued cooperative partnership with all groups will yield future successes.