Protecting Fiji’s Crested Iguana
The Fijian Crested Iguana have unique features compared to other iguanas. However, without constant care and attention, numbers dwindling due to poachers theft of these including illicit trafficking. Constant surveillance is must and border security strengthened. We support the National Trust of Fiji Islands in their endeavor to protect our natural heritage sites.
The South Pacificβs Fiji iguanas, genus ππ³π’π€π©πΊππ°π±π©πΆπ΄, are currently a group of four identified species. For 170 years, there was thought to be only one: the Fiji Banded Iguana (π. π§π’π΄π€πͺπ’π΅πΆπ΄). But studies starting in the 1970s showed there was a greater diversity among the iguanas of the Fiji Islands, leading to the naming of new species.
The Fijian Crested Iguana (π. π·πͺπ΅πͺπ¦π―π΄πͺπ΄) was named in the early 1980s. By 2008, the Lau Banded Iguana (π. π§π’π΄π€πͺπ’π΅πΆπ΄) and Central Fijian Banded Iguana (π. π£πΆππ’π£πΆππ’) were identified separately. The most recent addition is the Gau Banded Iguana (π. π¨π’πΆ), named in 2013. All four have different physical and genetic characteristics that distinguish them from one another.
But discoveries of Fijiβs iguanas may not be done yet! There are still gaps where iguanas on some islands have not been studied, and a few iguanas found in certain locations that donβt quite fit the existing descriptions. Scientists think there may yet be unrecognized iguana species occurring on the islands, waiting to be discovered. More is yet to be revealed!
