For immediate release
Dec. 18, 2025
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The small and uninhabited islet of Prickly Pear East is not what you might describe as a romantic holiday destination where young hopefuls go to find love. But for the Lesser Antillean iguana, it has proved to be just that.
Thanks to an ambitious programme of cross-Caribbean matchmaking, a new population has been successfully established on the island, with numbers now rapidly increasing.
The Lesser Antillean iguana is a critically endangered species which has disappeared from much of its range across the Eastern Caribbean. Amongst the greatest threats are invasive alien species, particularly the common green or striped-tailed iguana, an imposing lizard that grows up to two metres long, and which breeds fast and hybridises with, and outcompetes, the Lesser Antillean iguana. Researchers have also linked the alien iguanas to the spread of diseases that debilitate and kill the native reptiles.
In 2016, with the invasive iguanas multiplying rapidly across the main island of Anguilla, conservationists from the Anguilla National Trust began translocating the last Lesser Antillean iguanas from the mainland – 23 in total – to an alien-free islet, Prickly Pear East.
Realising that such a small population could suffer from inbreeding, the conservation team reached out to the Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division in Dominica to request some young Lesser Antillean iguanas from Dominica to boost the genetic diversity of the iguanas on Prickly Pear East. The Government of Dominica agreed, and permits were secured.
Ten healthy young Lesser Antillean iguanas from Dominica, chaperoned by their supporting crew of conservationists, boarded a small plane in early 2021 and jetted off to Anguilla to find a mate. The love-hopeful iguanas were released on Prickly Pear East to start their new life and help save their species.
“Thanks to the kind assistance from our friends in Dominica, as well as funding from the UK Government through Darwin Plus, the Lesser Antillean iguana is making a comeback in Anguilla,” said Jenny Daltry, Caribbean alliance director, Fauna & Flora and Re:wild. “Prickly Pear East has become a beacon of hope for these gorgeous lizards—and proves that when we give native wildlife the chance, they know what to do!”
Less than five years on, new survey data has revealed that the efforts are paying off, with more than 300 adults and adolescents counted on Prickly Pear East. The island now represents one of only five sites in the world where Lesser Antillean Iguanas are thriving, safe from invasive alien iguanas.
With hopes of building on this success, a second reintroduction site for Lesser Antillean iguanas has been established by the Anguilla National Trust on mainland Anguilla with support from Fauna & Flora and Re:wild. Fountain National Park has been encircled by a pest-resistant fence to exclude harmful invasive species, including cats, dogs and common green iguanas. It is hoped that Lesser Antillean iguanas will be reintroduced to this sanctuary in 2026, with some of the founders to be translocated from Prickly Pear East.
“This is a love story not just of iguanas trying to re-establish their population, but of Anguilla’s people working to restore a part of our natural heritage,” Farah Mukhida, executive director at the Anguilla National Trust. “Beyond being important seed dispersers, Lesser Antillean iguanas are an important part of Anguillan culture. With the planned re-introduction to Fountain National Park, we’re hoping to not only re-establish the iguana’s natural ecosystem function within a restored environment, but to also help people reconnect with nature, using the Lesser Antillean iguana as a flagship species and connection point.”
The engagement of local communities has been essential to the success of this project from the outset. When the Anguilla National Trust first started its iguana conservation work, Anguillan residents assisted by reporting iguana sightings, allowing the field team to target their search efforts. Local volunteers also helped to care for the iguanas while they were being held in captivity for genetic testing pre-release, and they supported with the translocations in 2016 and 2021, alongside additional volunteers from Dominica.
Dominica’s forestry personnel have also played a crucial role in the recovery, showing the importance of cross-border collaboration for conservation efforts.
“Dominica is home to the largest population of Lesser Antillean iguanas, but these too are under pressure from the invasive striped-tailed iguanas,” said Minchinton Burton, director of the Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division. “At a time when Caribbean islands face so many challenges, it is important to rally together to protect and restore our precious wildlife. We are delighted by the success of our recent collaboration with Anguilla.”
The Lesser Antillean iguana is critically endangered with a global population of not more than 20,000 adults, and it is falling. Originally found on many of the islands of the Lesser Antilles, this species is now extinct on Antigua, Barbuda, St Kitts, Nevis and St Martin, and has disappeared across most of Guadeloupe, St Barths and Martinique. St Eustatius has also reported a severe fall in numbers in recent years.
Invasive alien iguanas have become a primary threat to iguanas throughout this region. Originating in Central and South America, green or stripe-tailed iguanas were first introduced from French Guiana to Guadeloupe in the 1800s, where they flourished at the expense of the native species. They spread further in 1995, when Hurricane Luis swept dozens of the alien iguanas from Guadeloupe to Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, St Barths and St Martin, and have continued to multiply ever since. The invasive iguanas were accidentally introduced to Dominica with relief supplies after Hurricane Maria in 2017. Re:wild, Fauna & Flora and other members of the Lesser Antillean Iguana Working Group are supporting ongoing efforts in Dominica to remove the common green iguanas and hybrids.
For more information on collaborative efforts to conserve wildlife of Anguilla, please visit: https://www.fauna-flora.org/countries/anguilla/
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Caption: A Lesser Antillean iguana in Dominica in 2025. (Photo by Andrew Snyder / Re:wild)
About Fauna & Flora
Fauna & Flora is a nature conservation charity protecting the diversity of life on Earth. For the survival of species and habitats, the planet and people. As the world’s first international conservation charity, Fauna & Flora has been shaping best practice in community-focused conservation for over 120 years. Today, the charity works closely with local conservation partners in almost 50 countries to protect habitats, revive the ocean, reduce extinctions, stop illegal wildlife trade, combat climate change and influence global policy and corporate sustainability. www.fauna-flora.org
Re:wild
Re:wild protects and restores the wild. We have a singular and powerful focus: the wild as the most effective solution to the interconnected climate, biodiversity and human wellbeing crises. Founded by a group of renowned conservation scientists together with Leonardo DiCaprio, Re:wild is a force multiplier that brings together Indigenous peoples, local communities, influential leaders, nongovernmental organizations, governments, companies and the public to protect and rewild at the scale and speed we need. Learn more at rewild.org.
Anguilla National Trust
The Anguilla National Trust (ANT) was founded in 1988 with the mandate to sustain the island’s natural and cultural heritage through active management and education for the benefit of today’s and tomorrow’s generations. Since its formation, ANT has been instrumental in the creation and management of Anguilla’s national parks, conservation areas and heritage sites. ANT conducts essential research and conservation work, including rewilding, across Anguilla and we work year-round to raise public awareness about the fragility, complexity, and beauty of the island’s natural and cultural resources. Learn more at axanationaltrust.com
Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division
The Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division is responsible for overseeing the conservation and sustainable use of Dominica's forests, wildlife, and national parks. Established in 1949, it has been instrumental in protecting the island's natural resources and promoting environmental awareness. Its services and functions include biodiversity conservation, forest management, national parks management and environmental education, along with research and monitoring to inform conservation strategies and policies. Learn more at forestry@dominica.gov.dm
Devin Murphy
Writer
Devin Murphy is Re:wilds’s senior communications specialist and helps Re:wild and its partners tell stories about the work they do to protect wildlife and wildlands around the planet. Her favorite stories about conservation include fascinating and little-known species and the dedicated humans protecting them.
