Growth, coloration, and demography of an introduced population of the Acklins rock iguana (Cyclura rileyi nuchalis) in the Exuma Islands, the Bahamas
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Published source details
Iverson J.B., Smith G.R., Pasachnik S.A., Hines K.N. & Pieper L. (2016) Growth, coloration, and demography of an introduced population of the Acklins rock iguana (Cyclura rileyi nuchalis) in the Exuma Islands, the Bahamas. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 11, 139-153.
Published source details Iverson J.B., Smith G.R., Pasachnik S.A., Hines K.N. & Pieper L. (2016) Growth, coloration, and demography of an introduced population of the Acklins rock iguana (Cyclura rileyi nuchalis) in the Exuma Islands, the Bahamas. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 11, 139-153.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Translocate adult or juvenile reptiles: Lizards Action Link |
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Translocate adult or juvenile reptiles: Lizards Action Link |
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Translocate adult or juvenile reptiles: Lizards
A study in 1973 and 2002–2013 in sandy palm forest, scrub and rock cay in the Exuma Islands, south-eastern Bahamas (Iverson et al. 2016) found that a population of translocated Acklins rock iguanas Cyclura rileyi nuchalis survived at least 40 years in the wild and bred, although there was some evidence of a population decline in the last year of the study. A population of translocated Acklins rock iguanas fluctuated between an estimated 59–322 individuals 30–38 years after the founding animals were released. Between the 37th and 38th year after release, the population estimate reduced from 218 individuals to 59 individuals. The authors reported that this decline may have been the result of rat predation or poaching. The authors reported that in 1973, five Acklins rock iguana were released on a cay (3.3 ha) in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Iguanas were monitored by live catching or trapping during daylight hours in May 2002–2005 and May or June 2007–2013.
(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
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Translocate adult or juvenile reptiles: Lizards
A review of studies in The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Puerto Rico, Grand Cayman and British Virgin Islands (Iverson et al. 2016) reporting on known translocations of rock iguanas (Cyclura) found that eight of 13 translocated populations survived at least 5–20 years in the wild and four of 13 translocations were deemed as being successful or the population had established. Three translocated populations of rock iguanas survived at least 6–10 years, one population survived at least 11–15 years, one population survived at least 16–20 years, and three populations survived more than 20 years in the wild. One population was described as ‘reproducing’, another as ‘established’ and two more as ‘successful’. The outcome of one translocation was unknown. Between the 1960s and 2012, thirteen populations of eight different rock iguana species (Cyclura cychlura inornate, Cyclura cychlura figginsi, Cyclura rileyi nuchalis, Cyclura rileyi rileyi, Cyclura carinata, Cyclura nubila nubila, Cyclura lewisi and Cyclura pinguis) were translocated to different island locations. Founder populations ranged from “a few” to 800 individuals and one population comprised headstarted individuals (see original paper for details).
(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
