Less than 10 years ago, the future of Grand Cayman’s native Blue Iguana looked bleak. By 2002, there were fewer than 25 left in the wild. Cayman’s national icon was declared the most endangered iguana on earth.

But now, thanks to the efforts of Fred Burton and his team of volunteers, the future of the Blue Iguana looks bright. The Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, which falls under the umbrella of the National Trust, was officially formed in 2002 as a response to the reptile’s critically endangered status.
According to Mr Burton, the programme’s director, the decline in Blue Iguana numbers over the past century can be attributed to what he believes is an indirect but ongoing conflict with man and the introduction of foreign species such as rats, dogs and cats.

Based at Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, the programme aims to increase Grand Cayman’s Blue Iguana population. And recovery is now in full swing with 150 Blue Iguanas hatching in 2010. After two years in captivity, the iguanas are released into the wild, at the Botanic Park, the nearby Salina Reserve, or the new Blue Iguana Reserve.

The animals are tagged, micro-chipped and radio-tracked to glean information about their behaviour in the wild. The released population recently reached 500 and the aim is to release about 100 Blue Iguanas annually to eventually restore the wild population to 1000.