Jamaican Iguana (Cyclura collei)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 0905765

The IUCN/SSC Iguana Specialist Group (ISG), founded in 1997, monitors the status, assesses threat levels and generates conservation action plans for iguana species worldwide. The Jamaican Iguana Recovery Group (JIRG), founded in 1992, is an international organization dedicated to the conservation of a viable natural population of the Jamaican iguana and the biodiversity of the Hellshire Hills, the dry tropical forest where it persists. The JIRG actively protects the last remaining population by trapping invasive predators, and maintaining a presence in its vicinity to deter illegal forest cutting. Initiatives to establish a new translocated sub-population are also underway. The central focus of the JIRG since its inception has been a “headstart” program. Eggs or hatchlings from the wild are raised in captivity safe from invasive predators and are later repatriated to enhance the wild population. Numbers in the wild have increased as a result. The impact of headstarting on the population’s genetic structure is unknown and a loss of genetic variation could threaten the long-term prospects for this species. This project will allow the JIRG to assess the genetic impact of the headstart program and aid in selection of appropriate genetic stock for future headstarted generations and translocations