Head to head
Anegada Iguana vs Jamaican Iguana
Anegada Iguana
VS Jamaican Iguana
The Anegada iguana and Jamaican iguana are two Critically Endangered rock iguanas in the genus Cyclura, each confined naturally to a single Caribbean location.
| Anegada Iguana | Jamaican Iguana | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Cyclura pinguis | Cyclura collei |
| Look | A heavy-bodied, pale grey to tan iguana with a thick head, one of the larger rock iguanas | A large, blue-grey to olive iguana with a row of spines along the back and a heavy head |
| Diet | The leaves, flowers, and fruit of coastal shrubs, cacti, and other island plants | The leaves, fruit, and flowers of dry-forest plants, with a little animal matter |
| Nesting | Females dig nest burrows in sandy soil and may use the same nest sites each year | Females lay eggs in shallow soil pockets among limestone rock, sometimes shared by many females |
| Threats | Feral goats destroyed its habitat, while cats and dogs killed the young | Mongooses, feral cats, and dogs ate the young and almost wiped out the species |
| Range | Anegada, in the British Virgin Islands, and a few nearby cays where populations have been established | Only the Hellshire Hills of southern Jamaica |
| Recovery | Head-start releases, control of feral goats and cats, and moving some iguanas to safe cays as insurance | A head-start programme raises young iguanas in protected enclosures until they can survive predators |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered, though increasing | Critically Endangered, though increasing |
Anegada Iguana vs Jamaican Iguana: common questions
Where does the Anegada iguana live?
On Anegada, a low coral island in the British Virgin Islands, and on a few nearby cays where new populations have been established.
What nearly wiped out the Anegada iguana?
Feral goats destroyed its habitat, while cats and dogs killed the young, taking the wild population down to a few dozen.
How are both being saved?
Both are helped by head-start programmes that raise young iguanas in protected enclosures until they can survive predators.