The team at the Department of Natural Resources would like to encourage persons to report sightings of iguanas in Anguilla. There are two types of iguanas which may be found in Anguilla: the first is our native iguana – the Lesser Antillean Iguana (Iguana delicatissima). This is a critically endangered species which continues to be under threat by the second species of iguana in Anguilla: the Green Iguana (Iguana iguana). This is a highly invasive species which outcompetes our native iguana for food and habitat.
If you have recently spotted any species of iguana, please call the Department of Natural Resources at 497-0217. It would be extremely helpful if you are able to provide details such as the exact location of the iguana and its behaviour (walking, basking, perched in a tree, on a rock, in a garden or near a pond). The estimated size of the iguana and any pictures shared will also be beneficial.
Your assistance in reporting will form a central part of the Department’s current work in assessing the population of the Green and Lesser Antillean (native) Iguanas in Anguilla. The information gathered will not only provide data on our native iguanas, but also help with management strategies to prevent an explosion in Green Iguana population similar to that of other Caribbean islands such as Grand Cayman, St. Maarten and St. Lucia. Any information we receive regarding recent sightings of iguanas will help us to gain a better understanding of the habitat, distribution and preference for these species. This will then contribute to the development of a habitat spatial model to map the distribution of the Green Iguana and inform future control methods.
We look forward to any information that you are able to share, and thank you in advance for your contribution to this critical work.
– Press Release
