About IRE
Shedd Aquarium's iguana research expedition is for anyone with a sense of adventure and a desire to make a difference for wildlife conservation. We've designed a field experience that is exciting, challenging and entertaining while also safe, accessible and meaningful. We provide the expertise and equipment, but our volunteers provide the teamwork that makes the project possible. Expect to get wet and dirty, work hard, learn a lot and have fun. Our participants are men, women, older, younger, singles, couples and friends. Many are repeat participants. And our captains and our conservation and research staff members are as passionate about the iguanas and their ecosystem
as they are knowledgeable.
This blog is designed to connect volunteers and researchers with classrooms and to share the excitement of field research with participating elementary and middle school students.
Why Iguana Research?
The Andros iguana belongs to the genus Cyclura, and is one of the largest and most impressive lizards in the Western Hemisphere. Cyclura species inhabit the rugged terrain of Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, the Puerto Rican Bank, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos. They all originated from a single mainland stock that was uprooted and scattered by tropical storms at different times in the past. Each species is unique to only one or a few islands -- similar to the Galapagos tortoises -- and has evolved to match the demands of its distinctive habitat.
The iguanas evolved in the absence of natural predators and competitors, and they were thriving until the arrival in the 16th century of European settlers and their dogs, cats, pigs and goats. People and animals hunted the iguanas. Feral pigs rooted up nests to eat the eggs while goats stripped the landscape of the vegetation that's the iguanas' natural food supply. These threats persist today. And, as the small islands were developed, from farms and settlements to major tourist destinations, the iguanas lost much of their habitat. Today the rock iguanas are the most endangered lizards in the world. Since 1994, Shedd Aquarium has been active in rock iguana conservation, studying several populations in the Bahamas and working with the Bahamas National Trust, a nongovernmental organization that manages all national parks in the Bahamas, to protect habitats and foster community involvement in the lizards' conservation. Beginning in 1999, Shedd volunteers have assisted our research team on Andros, one of the largest relatively unexplored tracts of land in the Western Hemisphere. About 100 miles long and 40 miles wide, the island is riddled with blue holes and creeks, and the interior is a dense tangle of tropical forest, scrub flats and sprawling mangroves. Settlements developed on the island's east coast, where the third largest barrier reef in the world both protects and isolates residents. Our work to date with the iguanas has provided life-history data to develop conservation management plans for the lizards. But more research is needed. Because these animals are so long-lived (up to 80 years), we need to continually monitor populations for data on population growth, dispersal and survival. The mark/recapture study allows us to track both individuals and populations year after year to build the data base that will enable the scientific community and the Bahamian government to strengthen and refine existing management programs for this iguana.
We hope you can join our team of scientists and volunteers online March 20th through March 29th for live updates from Bahamas.
This blog is designed to connect volunteers and researchers with classrooms and to share the excitement of field research with participating elementary and middle school students.
Why Iguana Research?
The Andros iguana belongs to the genus Cyclura, and is one of the largest and most impressive lizards in the Western Hemisphere. Cyclura species inhabit the rugged terrain of Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, the Puerto Rican Bank, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos. They all originated from a single mainland stock that was uprooted and scattered by tropical storms at different times in the past. Each species is unique to only one or a few islands -- similar to the Galapagos tortoises -- and has evolved to match the demands of its distinctive habitat.
The iguanas evolved in the absence of natural predators and competitors, and they were thriving until the arrival in the 16th century of European settlers and their dogs, cats, pigs and goats. People and animals hunted the iguanas. Feral pigs rooted up nests to eat the eggs while goats stripped the landscape of the vegetation that's the iguanas' natural food supply. These threats persist today. And, as the small islands were developed, from farms and settlements to major tourist destinations, the iguanas lost much of their habitat. Today the rock iguanas are the most endangered lizards in the world. Since 1994, Shedd Aquarium has been active in rock iguana conservation, studying several populations in the Bahamas and working with the Bahamas National Trust, a nongovernmental organization that manages all national parks in the Bahamas, to protect habitats and foster community involvement in the lizards' conservation. Beginning in 1999, Shedd volunteers have assisted our research team on Andros, one of the largest relatively unexplored tracts of land in the Western Hemisphere. About 100 miles long and 40 miles wide, the island is riddled with blue holes and creeks, and the interior is a dense tangle of tropical forest, scrub flats and sprawling mangroves. Settlements developed on the island's east coast, where the third largest barrier reef in the world both protects and isolates residents. Our work to date with the iguanas has provided life-history data to develop conservation management plans for the lizards. But more research is needed. Because these animals are so long-lived (up to 80 years), we need to continually monitor populations for data on population growth, dispersal and survival. The mark/recapture study allows us to track both individuals and populations year after year to build the data base that will enable the scientific community and the Bahamian government to strengthen and refine existing management programs for this iguana.
We hope you can join our team of scientists and volunteers online March 20th through March 29th for live updates from Bahamas.
Interactive Map
