The endangered Grand Cayman blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi) was brought back from the brink of extinction, thanks in large part to successful captive breeding, headstarting and reintroduction into the wild carried out by the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme. Down to a low of about 25 left in the wild in 2002, that population may be approaching as many as 1,000 living in three protected areas today. 

It’s a great success story so far, but significant threats remain. So what’s next for the Grand Cayman blue iguana? In September, local and international iguana experts spent three days in CPSG-facilitated discussions to map the continuing recovery of this still-endangered species.

There is much that is still unknown about blue iguanas, including population size and growth estimates, habitat use, and the level of risk from numerous threats, such as invasive species, disease and habitat loss due to development. Recommended actions include addressing these gaps in knowledge, securing iguana habitat, controlling invasive species, and improving human-iguana relations. The integration of in situ and ex situ activities and collaborators make this conservation effort a true One Plan Approach.

Participants and sponsors of the workshop include the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, Darwin Plus Initiative, Cayman Islands Department of Environment, Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, International Iguana Foundation, IUCN SSC Iguana Specialist Group, Fort Worth Zoo, San Diego Zoo Global, and Wildlife Conservation Society/Bronx Zoo.