Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana

The Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana (Cyclura carinata) is endemic to the Turks and Caicos islands, viz. The Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana species can only be found on Turks and Caicos. Turks and Caicos has 50,000 rock iguanas, the healthiest population of rock iguanas in the caribbean.

The Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana inhabits small cays, but have been wiped out of many of these due to the introduction of predators. The 2,000 iguanas are the only land creatures that inhabit Little Water Cay.

To promote tourism on Little Water Cay, a boardwalk has been built throughout the island. Tourists can take a tour of the island, through this boardwalk, but are not permitted to step off of it.

Conservation measures

Although Little Water Cay is rife with these rock iguanas, they have been wiped out from the other cays which used to provide homes for these iguanas. This is due to the fact that predators, especially dogs and cats, were introduced into the other cays. In Little Water Cay , a nature reserve home to over 2,000 Turks and Caicos Rock Iguanas, both dogs and cats are not permitted. This is critical in ensuring the survival of this critically endangered creature.

Legislature to protect the iguanas has recently been drafted by the Turks and Caicos government. Additionally, the National Trust for the Turks and Caicos Islands has stewardship for the Little Water Cay to ensure that it is not mismanaged. Furthermore, they have initiated a program to remove ferral cats from Pine Cay and Water Cay

Trivia

• Upon flooding, these iguanas have evolved to have the ability to inflate themselves in order to float to safety. It is believed that the iguanas floated to the cays using this ability.