IIF Supports Program to Map and Protect Critical Nesting Areas for Ricord’s iguana

IIF Supports Program to Map and Protect Critical Nesting Areas for Ricord’s iguana, Cyclura ricordi

Grupo Jaragua 2008 field report

To enlarge images, click once; to decrease large images, double click.

The leading conservation NGO in the Dominican Republic, Grupo Jaragua (GJ), manages a comprehensive conservation and research program for the critically endangered C. ricordi in the southwestern area of the Dominican Republic and Southeastern Haiti. With annual support from the IIF, GJ works to identify critical nesting areas and then protects those sites from being converted for agricultures and illegal land grabs. This year they report huge conflicts in the “Los Olivares” area of Pedernales where illegal agriculture impacts Cyclura nesting. The area is a flat plain with deep soil – known as Fondos - which are used by Cyclura for nesting but are also much coveted by local farmers. There are four major Fondos in this area encompassing 81.5 ha. Unfortunately, 48 so called “landowners” claim 421 ha of prime nesting habitat in the Los Olivares region. Nest monitoring of this area resulted in 256 C. ricordi and 43 C. cornuta nests discovered. Grupo Jaragua sees land purchase as the best way to mediate Cyclura / farmer conflicts in the area and funds are being sought for this purpose.

South of Lago Enriquillo, a small 0.5- 1.0 km2 area of active dens was found near the town of Jimaní, RD. Charcoal production south of the lake has resulted in massive habitat destruction and illegal hunting of Cyclura, and there is little vegetation left in the area. Charcoal burners dig the Cyclura out of their dens while the charcoal pits are smoldering, and more than 50% of the adult iguana dens in the area have been destroyed in this fashion. C. ricordi has also been reported in the area east of Duverge, but no active dens or sightings were recorded by Grupo Jaragua.

Most of this charcoal is exported illegally to Haiti. No habitat nearby has legal protection, and Grupo Jaragua has proposed creation of a 179 km2 wildlife reserve in this area near the El Limon lagoon, which would border the Lago Enriquillo Nation Park in the North and the La Placa Wildlife Reserve in Haiti.