2012 Participants
Jessica Fisher, Sarah Wood, Donna Wintersgill & Rachel Blow
The island of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands has been heavily impacted by cruise ship tourists, resort development and an influx of wealthy inhabitants seeking paradise away from mainland USA. A lack of local knowledge and protection enforcement for the island’s wildlife has led to a careless attitude toward the green iguana, an impressive but introduced lizard species. We compared the status and behaviour of iguana populations in three situations: tourist centres, enclosed beach resorts and rural areas. At several sites in each category we assessed levels of physical damage to iguanas (e.g. missing tails and limbs, bite marks), and their flight distance from us when we approached, which we used as a measure of their adaptation to the presence of humans. Injuries were much more frequent in the areas with tourists than the rural locations and, controversially, size was generally larger and condition was much better in resort areas. Flight distances were longest in rural situations whilst at the tourist centres the iguanas appeared to be tame and often approached us, apparently expecting to be fed! At these sites they also fought and injured each other, probably explaining the higher level of physical damage observed. We also carried out interviews with both island residents and tourists to gauge their views on iguanas and found contradictory views. Residents appeared hostile towards the iguanas, and we found many road casualties. The tourists found them novel and entertaining, but by feeding them they caused much strife amongst these island curiosities.
Funding Sources: Newcastle University Expeditions Committee, Newcastle University School of Biology