Ernstig bedreigde Nederlandse leguaansoort dreigt te verdwijnen

Will the endangered Lesser Antillean Iguana disappear on the island of St. Eustatius? The rapid decline of the Lesser Antillean Iguana (Iguana delicatissima) is mainly driven by hybridization and out competition by the Green Iguana (Iguana iguana). In early 2016 one Green Iguana was discovered on the island of St. Eustatius, native to one of the last pure Lesser Antillean Iguana populations. Six months later, an iguana with hybrid characteristics was discovered suggesting hybridization had taken place; since then, seven more individuals with hybrid characteristics have been found. We collected and analysed morphological and genetic data of these putative hybrids and compared it to data of Green and Lesser Antillean Iguanas to study whether hybridization occurred within the population on St. Eustatius. Our genetic and morphological results show these putative hybrids are indeed hybrids between the two Iguana species. Given the large size range among the hybrids (19-33cm), we hypothesize that at least two clutches of hybrid iguanas have hatched on St. Eustatius, with more to follow without implementation of continuous conservation management. Also, given their dispersal capacity and potential translocations during the 2017 hurricane season, the present distribution of non-native iguanas is unknown. Therefore studying the distribution and abundance of present non-native iguanas has high priority and is now made possible through a successful grant application, allowing collaborating NGO’s to continue conservation actions. Acquired knowledge can then be used to target conservation management by categorically prioritizing areas where non-native iguanas are present in an effort to conserve this population of Lesser Antillean Iguanas. Voor 2016 werd de populatie van Antilliaanse leguanen op het Nederlands-Caribische eiland St. Eustatius al door verschillende factoren bedreigd. Echter, de vondst van een volwassen groene leguaan begin 2016, en de vondst van dieren met hybride kenmerken, heeft het voortbestaan van deze bedreigde populatie extreem onder druk gezet.