Blue iguanas are bouncing back
Habitat loss and invasive cats and dogs pushed blue iguanas to the brink of extinction. Now, thanks to ongoing conservation efforts, populations are on the rise.
Thanks to ongoing conservation efforts, the blue iguana is back from the brink of extinction. Through captive breeding and a habitat protection program, over 1,200 have now been released into the wild, primarily in protected areas.
Blue iguanas are bouncing back
Blue iguanas were once ubiquitous on the island, however the arrival of humans, and the invasive predators that came with them, brought deadly threats. Habitat loss, hunting and a wave of feral cats and dogs pushed the lizards, referred to as " blue dragons," to the brink of extinction.
"The number of blue iguanas—impressive reptiles native to Grand Cayman—has surged from fewer than 25 in 2002 to over 1,200 today," reports The Doomslayer. CNN adds: Habitat loss, hunting and a wave of feral cats and dogs pushed the lizards, referred to as 'blue dragons,' to the brink of extinction. In the early 1990s, researchers […]
Experts thrilled after reintroducing rare 'blue dragon' into wild after ...
In Argentina, giant otters are bouncing back after a four-decade absence, and endangered species in India's Manas National Park are thriving after a crackdown on poaching. Protecting endangered species is an essential bulwark against biodiversity loss, and good news provides hope for a brighter future.
Blue iguanas continue to need protection after they are released back into the wild. In addition to the captive breeding program, conservationists are helping the iguanas by expanding protected areas, controlling invasive species, and conducting field research through GPS monitoring and wildlife cameras.
Back from the brink
Blue iguanas once thrived across the island. But human settlement brought new threats to their survival. Habitat destruction and hunting affected their numbers.
A Caribbean island's beloved " blue dragons" have come roaring back from the brink thanks to diligent conservation efforts. Green iguanas are the most common species of their kind, though ...
The Blue Dragon Is Back from The Brink
Thanks to ongoing conservation efforts, the blue iguana is back from the brink of extinction. Through captive breeding and a habitat protection program, over 1,200 have now been released into the wild, primarily in protected areas.
