Iguanas on the up

Critically Endangered Sister Islands Rock Iguanas are edging back from the brink thanks to successful conservation efforts on Little Cayman in the Cayman Islands. These iguanas grow up to 9kg, but hatchlings and juveniles are vulnerable to predation by cats.

This large iguana species can grow to more than 9kg in weight. Photo: Joe Jeffcoate (rspb-images.com)

Since 2022, the Cayman Islands Government Department of Environment, in partnership with the National Trust of the Cayman Islands and supported by the RSPB with funding from the UK Government’s Darwin Plus, has removed feral cats and worked with the community to improve pet management. As a result, hatchling numbers are rising after long years of decline, with more than 3,500 iguanas – up from roughly 1,000 in 2022 – now estimated on Little Cayman alone.