Lesser Antillean Iguana
The Lesser Antillean iguana is a critically endangered lizard from the Caribbean. This tree-dwelling herbivore is under severe threat, due in part to hunting of the animal and the arrival of the closely related green iguana. That is why Rotterdam Zoo is committed to protecting this special species.
25 years
± 25 centimetres
± 108 centimetres
0.8 – 3.6 kilograms
The Lesser Antillean iguana is a medium-sized species of lizard. It can be recognized by its green to gray scales, light-colored head and row of spines running down the middle of its back. Its tail comprises most of its body length: it can reach about 80 centimeters in length. It resembles the closely related green iguana, but lacks the stripes on its tail and the round cheek plates with dark circular markings.
The Lesser Antillean iguana once occurred on many of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean, from Anguilla to Martinique. Nowadays, the species has become extinct on some of these islands. One of the islands where it still exists is Sint Eustatius, which is also where the iguanas in Diergaarde Blijdorp come from. The iguana primarily lives in forested and shrubland environments.
The Lesser Antillean iguana is also known as the 'tasty iguana'. Its meat was considered a delicacy, hence its scientific name 'delicatissima'. As a result, the iguana was heavily hunted in the past. This is one of the many reasons the species is now critically endangered. Even though hunting is now prohibited in much of its habitat, the impoverished local population still hunts the iguana out of tradition. Additionally, many iguanas are killed by domestic animals, such as cats and dogs.
The green iguana poses another significant threat to the Lesser Antillean iguana. This species is increasingly encroaching on the islands that the Lesser Antillean iguana calls home. These iguanas are capable of stowing away on boats or swimming from island to island. They are such close relatives of their Lesser Antillean counterparts that they can interbreed. These matings produce fertile offspring that combine traits from both species—a phenomenon known as hybridization. These hybrids, larger and faster-breeding, are outcompeting and slowly replacing the native Lesser Antillean iguanas. This insidious form of takeover is particularly dangerous as it erodes the genetic uniqueness and resilience of the Lesser Antillean iguanas, pushing them toward extinction.
Diergaarde Blijdorp collaborates with RAVON, an organization dedicated to the conservation of native reptiles, amphibians, and fish and STENAPA (St. Eustatius National Parks) to protect the Lesser Antillean iguana in the wild. For instance, since 2015, a research project has been undertaken in which the iguanas are fitted with coloured beads around their necks. Through this, researchers can count the number of iguanas present on St. Eustatius. At the same time, they also collect blood samples, allowing them to study the genetic diversity within the population. This enables them to assess the overall health of the iguana population on St. Eustatius.
In 2018, four Antillean iguanas were flown from Sint Eustatius to Rotterdam on a government plane. Rotterdam Zoo houses these iguanas to help contribute to the survival of the species. The iguanas live in a warm enclosure with plenty of branches to climb on and places to hide. The caretakers provide good nesting sites so the iguanas can reproduce.
