Conserving Roatan’s Spiny-tailed Iguanas through research, outreach and eduction

This was the focus of my research in 2010-2011, while I was with the Bay Islands Foundation. Ctenosaura oedirhina is listed as Endangered by the IUCN and has recently been added to Applendix II of CITES. Very little was known this species thus the focus of this project was to gain a basic understanding of the natural history of this species, while documenting the current threat levels, and raising awareness. We currently have a better understanding of the diet, behavior, morphology, distribution and population genetics of this species (see CV). The most striking discoveries are that this species occurs in less than 1% of the island, with hunting pressure determining this range, and this fragmentation having negative affects of the population genetic structure of this endangered iguana. Over the next few years we plan to shift our focus to understanding how stress and an un-natural diet may be harming this species.

Collaborators: Ashley Camplbell, Stephen Hudman

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