SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Zoo announced today it is the new home of eight critically endangered Fijian iguanas rescued from a massive illegal wildlife trafficking operation in Spain.
The iguanas were among more than 600 reptiles seized in 2017. Over the last eight years, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has been in contact with the governments of Fiji and Spain to bring the lizards to the San Diego Zoo. Here, geneticists will study them to determine if they can aid in the conservation of the species.
“Confiscations of trafficked wildlife happen a lot more frequently than people realize, and reptiles are especially susceptible due to their high demand in the illegal pet trade,” said Brett Baldwin, curator of herpetology and ichthyology at the San Diego Zoo. “Whether it’s within our borders or across the world, we’re ready to answer the call for help. We have assisted with over 20 reptile confiscations and seizures in the last 28 years.”
Before coming to San Diego, the iguanas were in the care of the Foundation for Research in Ethology and Biodiversity near Madrid. Their move to San Diego was authorized by Fiji’s Department of Environment and the National Trust of Fiji.
“Wildlife smuggling is a real problem that threatens Fiji’s endangered iguana populations that are already facing pressures from expanding human activities and invasive alien species,” said National Trust of Fiji Council Chairman Setoki Tuiteci. “Therefore, we appreciate the actions of security authorities and organizations like San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and United States Geological Survey that support our conservation efforts toward these surviving island populations.”
The Fiji crested iguana is native to some of the island nation’s northwestern islands, where it inhabits tropical, dry forests. It is a large lizard, growing up to 30 inches in length, and is known for its three narrow, cream to white colored bands on males.
According to the zoo, Baldwin traveled to Spain to prepare the iguanas for their flight. The iguanas arrived in Los Angeles, where Wildlife Care Manager Brandon Scott received them. Scott then drove the iguanas to the San Diego Zoo’s Jennings Veterinary Hospital for in-depth health assessments and quarantine.
Following the quarantine period, the iguanas will make a new home at the zoo. Scientists will study each lizard to determine its genetic makeup, including whether it was poached from the wild or bred illegally, and from which Fijian island it originated.
The Wildlife Alliance has worked with Fijian iguanas since the 1990s, when a conservation breeding program was established at the San Diego Zoo. Since then, the zoo has produced more than 100 hatchlings and every Fijian iguana within institutions accredited by the AZA has come from the San Diego Zoo. Additionally, the zoo oversees the care of every Fijian iguana living at those institutions in the United States.
“The seized specimens will be able to contribute to the conservation of the species and to raise society’s awareness about two of the greatest threats to biodiversity worldwide: illegal trafficking and the destruction of the native habitat of a species,” said Jose Martel, of CITES Management Authority of Spain.
CITES is an acronym for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, “a global treaty to ensure international trade in wild plants and animals is legal, traceable, and biologically sustainable,” according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“All of this is in line with the objectives of the CITES Management Authority of Spain in favor of the protection and conservation of biodiversity,” Serrano said.
