Major Discovery Gives Hope for Saving Critically Endangered Pink Iguana

The first-ever nesting area of the Pink Iguana and, nearby, photographed the first Pink Iguana hatchlings ever observed have been described in joint expeditions by the Galapagos National Park Directorate and Galapagos Conservancy as part of "Iniciativa Galápagos". Unfortunately, camera trap surveys of the nesting area reveal that non-native feral cats are heavily praying on young Pink Iguanas as they emerge from their underground nests. These descriptions represent a breakthrough in knowledge about the species and identify a path forward for conservation actions to save the Pink Iguana from the verge of extinction.

SANTA CRUZ, Ecuador and GALÁPAGOS, Ecuador, Dec. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Joint effort over the past ten months, rangers from the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) and Galapagos Conservancy, have undertaken a series of expeditions to the remote Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island in search of the spectacular Pink Iguana.

The current global population of Pink Iguanas is estimated at just 211 adults, with no juvenile iguanas having ever been documented. With a dwindling and aging adult population, there is global concern that the species is fast approaching extinction.

Since the October 2021 announcement of "Iniciativa Galápagos" between GNPD and Galápagos Conservancy to help save the Pink Iguana, seven expeditions have been undertaken to understand the current status and threats facing the species.

Recently the team discovered and documented the first nesting sites and the first ever hatchling and juvenile iguanas. Also, dozens of hidden trail cameras deployed by the team around the volcano have now documented extensive evidence of nesting activities of Pink Iguanas. 

Iniciativa Galápagos is now urgently focused on providing further support for research, monitoring and protection of Pink Iguana nesting sites. To advance these efforts, the GNPD, with funding from the Galápagos Conservancy, has established a permanent field station with a 360-degree view of the volcano to help protect against illegal poaching and wildlife trafficking.

The Ecuadorian Minister of the Environment has praised this hard effort. "Excellent news for our country! Pink iguana hatchlings and juveniles were discovered for the first time after years of research. This is thanks to a collaboration between the GNPD and the Galápagos Conservancy. Congratulations to everyone who contributed to this discovery!"

Danny Rueda, director of the Galápagos National Park, thanked Galápagos Conservancy for its support and assured that "this remote base will facilitate conservation and monitoring work on the volcano, helping guarantee the conservation and restoration of the Pink Iguana population."

"The discovery of the first ever nest and young Pink Iguanas together with evidence of the critical threats to their survival has also given us the first hope for saving this enigmatic species from extinction," stated Dr. Paul Salaman, President of Galápagos Conservancy. "And we're so proud of our partnership with the Galápagos National Park that has yet again resulted in a huge stride forward towards saving the precious and unique biodiversity of Galápagos. Now our work begins to save the Pink Iguana."

About Galapagos Conservancy: For more than 35 years, Galapagos Conservancy has helped protect the unique biodiversity and ecosystems of Galapagos by supporting research, conservation, outreach, and building a sustainable society. Galapagos Conservancy is the only US-based organization focused exclusively on protecting the Galapagos archipelago. The Galapagos Conservancy and the Galapagos National Park Directorate work together on the Initiativa Galápagos -- a collaborative effort to restore endemic species of Galápagos' populations to their historical distribution and numbers across Galapagos.

Images: Unrestricted use with credits to "GNPD/ galapagos.org" and photographer(s) listed in each image: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A4qIXFkbFkOkBHkpsg0PCDFwT98xQEkU?usp=sharing

U.S Contact: Paul Salaman, Galapagos Conservancy, +1 202-361-4410 Email: [email protected]

Ecuador Contact: Barbara Arizaga, Galapagos Conservancy, +593 99 2642234 Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Galápagos Conservancy