The Galapagos land iguanas, unique on Earth, are particularly vulnerable to introduced species such as feral cats and dogs that attack iguanas and destroy their nests, as well as pigs that eat their eggs. Iguanas, which evolved in isolation for millions of years, did not develop instincts to flee these predators. Today, they need our help in order to survive.

It is estimated that there are between 5,000 and 10,000 land iguanas in the Galapagos, in colonies on the islands of Fernandina, Isabela, Santa Cruz, North Seymour, Española, and South Plazas.

Before the arrival of introduced predators, populations of iguanas were so numerous that Charles Darwin wrote in his diary that he could not find space to set up camp on Santiago, because of the numerous iguana nests!

"	The Directorate of the Galapagos National Park monitors the population of land iguanas on different islands on an annual basis to determine the population structure, as well as its status."

In the years since then, entire populations of iguanas have been exterminated by dogs, cats, pigs, and rats.

The populations of land iguanas have been monitored over the last 30 years, particularly on Santa Cruz (Conway Bay) and Isabela (Cartago Bay) where they were decimated by the presence of wild dogs and cats.

The populations of land iguanas of the islands of Santa Fe, Baltra/North Seymour, and the populations of the volcanoes of the northern part of Isabela Island are controlled to determine their distribution and abundance in the wild.

The Directorate of the Galapagos National Park monitors the population of land iguanas on different islands on an annual basis to determine the population structure, as well as its status.

The population census in Punta Garcia, on Isabela Island, for example, resulted in a total of only 43 iguanas. Broken down into 19 males, 18 females, and 6 juveniles.

The Baltra iguanas: rescued from extinction

	The population of iguanas from Baltra, where the airport is located, is being restored.

The land iguana population of the small island of Baltra, north of Santa Cruz, had been considered extinct in 1954, presumably eliminated by U.S. soldiers stationed at the military base that operated on the island between 1941 and 1945.

However, in the early 1930s, the American tycoon William Randolph Hearst took a small population of iguanas to North Seymour, an even smaller island a few hundred meters from Baltra.

Hearst´s iguanas survived and were the basis for subsequent breeding and repatriation to Baltra. At the moment 450 iguanas have been repatriated to the island.

This program has counted on the support of:

The Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands (CDF) is an international nonprofit research organization dedicated to providing scientific research, technical assistance and information in order to ensure the success of conservation in Galapagos.