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All of the day to day operations on the Coral Reef II are all handled by just three people. Our two captains, Captain John Rothchild and Captain Lou Roth, don't just drive the boat. They also fix whatever breaks and keep everything in ship shape. They are helped by Chef Matt Cohen, who cooks our breakfast lunch and dinner. In this podcast Captain Lou Roth talks about life on the Coral Reef II and why he always enjoys the annual iguana research trip.

Listen to Captain Lou's interview!


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We have been working hard to collect and study as many iguanas as we can over the past few days, and each day we look forward to returning to the R/V Coral Reef II so that we can hook up our satellite terminal and download all of your questions and comments. It feels great to know students across the United States are learning along with us, and we really enjoy answering your questions. At night we are busy processing all of the blood samples that are collected from the iguanas we captured, but we are doing our best to answer as many questions as we can each night. We have answered some of your questions below, and we look forward to answering more tomorrow.

Keep Exploring!

Dave

What is the longest iguana you've ever found?

Head to tail iguanas can be as long as 52 inches (132 centimeters)

How do iguanas talk to each other?

Iguanas don't exactly talk to each other like people do, but they do communicate with one another through bobbing their heads, puffing up their bodies and other movements.

What do we need to do to become a scientist?

Start exploring and asking questions about the world around you! In school, take as many science, math and computer classes as you are able. When you're old enough, consider volunteering at local scientific organizations like zoos, aquariums, nature centers, labs and science museums.

How old do the iguanas in the Bahamas get?

We know that Andros iguanas can live to be at least 50 years old, but some scientists think they can live up to 80 years.

What's it like to live on a boat? Where do you sleep and how do you eat?

Living on a boat is like living in a floating house with 16 people. Two people share each bedroom, or cabin. We have 3 tiny bathrooms, which are called heads on a boat, and a large common area called a salon. For breakfast and dinner we eat in the salon at two big tables like a family. But lunch is usually eaten in the field. We have two Captains that are in charge of driving the research vessel and the small boats we use to go to shore. We also have a chef on board.

Do they ever bite you or do the gloves help?

We know how to handle the iguanas so they aren't easily able to bite us, but we wear gloves to be safe because they have been known to bite.

What types of information do you collect from the iguanas?

We collect a lot of different information about the iguanas. For example we weigh and measure them, take blood samples, determine whether they're male or female, and take pictures before we release them. This information helps scientists learn how many male and female iguanas live in the area, and how much they've grown since the last time we saw them. Just like the doctor taking your weight and measurements at a physical. The blood samples can tell scientists about the health of the iguanas.

We have received many questions from students over the past few days, so we decided to use today's Notes from the Trail to answer as many questions as we can.

What types of fish live in the water? Can you take pictures of them under the water?

There are hundreds of fish in the Bahamas, but some of the more common fish we might see while snorkeling in Andros include: spotted eagle rays, barracuda, parrotfish, needlefish, snappers, nassau grouper, sergeant majors, bluehead wrasse and nurse sharks. Hopefully you can research some of these fish on your own. Yes, it is possible to take pictures underwater with special waterproof cameras.

How did the iguanas escape after you spotted it? Are they really fast? Do you name them? How do you release them?

The iguanas escape after being spotted for a couple of reasons. First, they are indeed very fast and much better suited to the rocky terrain and dense vegetation than we are. So they will sometimes simply outrun us. They also know the area well and have holes they can dart into to elude us. We can sometimes pull them out of the holes, but if there is a risk to either the iguana or ourselves, we will let them go.
Once captured the iguanas are given numbers as a means of identification. This makes it easier to keep track of which iguanas we see and is also easier to work with when processing a large number of animals.

When we are finished collecting data, the iguanas are returned to the same area they were caught. One of the reasons this is done is because males are territorial, and we want to make sure they are returned to their home range.

Can you guys look at the aquatic life in the ocean like all the fish?

Since we are in the Bahamas to study iguanas, we have limited ability and time to study aquatic life also. We do have the opportunity to see dolphins, fish and invertebrates while we're aboard the research vessel. We also see a lot of plants and birds while we're looking for the iguanas on the islands.

My old teacher had an iguana for a pet. Do these make good pets?Hers was a green one.

Well, Bahamian iguanas are protected because they're endangered and therefore can't be pets. There are types of iguanas, like green iguanas, that are a better choice, but only for pet owners with a great deal of knowledge about how to keep an exotic animal like an iguana. Iguanas are very difficult to keep, requiring fresh food every day for 15-20 years. Iguanas also get very big and need a lot of room to get exercise. It's important to remember that iguanas are wild animals and will only become comfortable with humans after quite a bit of interaction.

Do you have to track the iguanas or do you just set out looking for them? When you find them, do you have to surround them and use a net, or do you just use your hands?

These iguanas don't have radio transmitters so we aren't 'tracking' them exactly. Instead we walk as a group through an area, looking all around until we spot one. This can be quite tough, because they can hold very still and their color blends very well with the vegetation.
When one of us spots an iguana we call the rest of the team to come help. We have to move carefully, because we don't want to scare it and make it run away. All of us surround the iguana, and we work to encourage it to move toward whoever has the best chance of getting their net over it. As soon as one of us gets a net on it we have to move fast to secure it, because iguanas move extremely fast.

 

From our floating research station, the R/V Coral Reef II, we are studying the Bahamian Andros iguana. Finding iguanas can be difficult, and today was our first day scrambling over rocky, brush-choked terrain searching for these large, endangerd lizards.

Adrenaline surges through you when an iguana is spotted and it takes a lot of teamwork to surround and capture each animal. We spotted ten animals and were able to capture and release four of them. Dr. Knapp has captured and released many of the animals before and over time, with the help of volunteers, he is gathering a wealth of data which he hopes will lead to a National Park set up specifically to protect the Andros iguanas.

West Indian Rock Iguanas are one of the most endangered groups of lizards in the world, which is one of the main reasons Dr. Charles Knapp, and a group of volunteers organized by the John G. Shedd Aquarium have been studying the Bahamian Iguanas since 1995.

Habitat loss, hunting pressure, and dogs, cats, pigs, and other non-native animals are the main threats the iguanas face. Headed by Dr. Charles Knapp, Shedd Aquarium has been studying West Indian Rock Iguanas since 1995. Each year Dr. Knapp leads a team of scientists and volunteers on a week long research project to collect data about iguana populations.

One of Dr. Knapp's main goals is to use information we are collecting to educate Bahamians about the iguana and help facilitate the formation of a National Park on South Andros Island. After one day in this wild place it is easy to see the importance of protecting these endangered animals.

Keep Exploring!

Dave

 

References

Communique - American Zoo and Aquarium Association - July 1999

Iguana - volume 12, number 1 - March 2005

In the next 5 minutes the Coral Reef II will leave Miami for the Bahamas.

The captains are expecting 6 to 8 foot seas, it should be an interesting ride. We are all looking forward to arriving in the Bahamas and starting the Iguana Research.

Dave

We hope you will join us for daily updates from the Bahamas from March 21st through March 30th. We will be posting videos, photos, and lots of other information about our Iguana Research in the Bahamas.

Please take a few minutes to explore our Bahamas library to learn about many of the amazing plants and animals that live in the Bahamas.

You may also be interested in visiting the High School Marine Biology site, which contains additional information about the Bahamas.