The Tribune

TWO Bahamas National Trust park wardens having learned more about the rare and endangered Bahamian Rock Iguana, joined an international research team for a week of research in the Exuma Cays.

Shenica Campbell, the new park warden in Nassau, and Ellsworth Weir, Grand Bahama deputy park warden, took part in the expedition organised by the Shedd Aquarium.

The purpose of the trip was to assess the health of the iguana populations on the cays, to record information and to insert identification tags into the skin of the ones that weren’t already being studied. The researchers took body measurements and blood samples from the iguanas, identified and recorded their sex, removed ticks, recorded other injuries and if the iguana had been captured before, compared its current health to information previously recorded.

“I learned about the importance of conservation as it relates to the endangered Bahamian Rock Iguana,” said Mr Weir. “Feeding them takes them away from their natural food cycle and also causes problems for the iguanas. It is also dangerous to allow people to hand-feed them since a red fingernail can be mistaken for food.”

Rock Iguanas in The Bahamas are protected by the Wild Animals Protection Act, as they are listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “rare”. Additionally, the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) lists the Rock Iguana as near extinction or very endangered. As a result, the trade of iguanas across nations is prohibited. Sub-species of the Bahamian Rock Iguanas are found on Andros, San Salvador, Acklins, Mayaguana and in the Exuma Cays.

“Once again, we had a very successful expedition,” said Chuck Knapp, Sheed Aquarium’s facilitator of the research trip. “We captured and processed a total of 205 iguanas; moreover, thanks to the hard work of the team, we observed and processed the most iguanas on Pasture Cay since 2006.”

The researchers started in George Town and aboard the research vessel R/V Coral Reef II sailed to numerous cays before returning to Nassau. In addition to the iguana study, the BNT team also assisted the Island Conservation Organisation with the eradication of the invasive rats on some of the cays.

This research trip has taken place every year since the late 1970s, rotating between the Exumas and Andros. This year’s research team included members of Shedd’s staff, interested scientists and BNT staff members.

“The intent of the park wardens attending the research trip was for us to participate and learn about the research through hands-on training,” said Mr Weir. “By participating in the research, we were able to play a greater part in learning about the iguanas and we are now able to educate others about the great importance of this work.”

Next year’s trip will visit Andros and both the BNT and the Shedd Aquarium hope the success of this year will be matched. “We need to educate more people about this as a tagged iguana can be monitored throughout its life and population growth can be gauged through new captures,” Mr Weir said.