Thanks to the efforts of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands as well as a number of other organizations, blue iguana populations are now increasing. The Blue Iguana, also referred to as the “Blue Dragon”, is a unique species of lizard found exclusively on the island of Grand Cayman. With adult males exhibiting a striking blue-green color, it is considered the island’s largest land animal. Although once a thriving species, the arrival of humans to the island, complete with dramatic changes to habitat as well as the threats presented by domestic dogs and cats, Blue Iguana numbers began to quickly decline. By the early 1990’s researchers estimated there were only between 100 and 200 Blue iguanas surviving in the wild. Within a decade this number plummeted to less than 25 in 2002 and the species became classified as “critically endangered”. In response to this dire situation, the Blue Iguana Recovery Program was created under the leadership of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands. Today, with the involvement of a number of other Cayman non-profits, a comprehensive breeding program has been created. This program focuses on providing a safe, controlled environment for hatchlings until they are mature enough to be released into the wild at approximately 2 years of age. Since the start of this program in 2004, over 1200 Blue Iguanas have been successfully released. Though the challenge is on-going, the species classification has been lifted from “critically endangered “to “endangered” in 2012.
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