Ricord's Iguana

In 2002 the IIF helped sponsor the workshop that led to the formation of the Ricord’s iguana Recovery Plan. Though ranked as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List, very little is known about this enigmatic iguana other than that it has a very limited distribution in southwestern Dominican Republic, and has undergone a rapid population decline. In order to better understand the distribution, habitat requirements, ecology and threats to this rare iguana, the IIF funded much needed habitat surveys in the Cabo Rojo - Pedernales region of the Barahona peninsula in 2003.

This survey identified a major hotspot where there is good habitat that supports a robust breeding population. This site provides an ideal opportunity to study this poorly known iguana and to improve our understanding of their biology. Unfortunatly this "hotspot" is unprotected. However, efforts on behalf of our partner, the local conservation NGO Grupo Jaragua, are already underway to establish this habitat under the protected areas system.

Range country partners included Grupo Jaragua and Parque Zoologico Nacional of the Dominican Republic (ZOODOM).

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