For the last few years, the 3rd of May has been a sad and angry
day for me. This is a quick anniversary piece about a
conservation tragedy that occurred on Grand Cayman 4 years ago,
one that I find very few people are aware of. Cyclura lewisi,
the Blue Iguana, is a species of lizard endemic to the island of
Grand Cayman. They exist nowhere else. They are fairly large
lizards, they can live up to around 70 years of age, and they’re
regarded as a national symbol of the Cayman Islands. It was
under tragic circumstances that the species was thrown into the
news four years ago. A little info about the beautiful Blue
Iguanas; they are vegetarians, mostly eating flowers and fruit.
They like dry, open areas, and aren’t as well equipped
defensively as the Green Iguanas (a separate species). In the
past, the Blue Iguanas were classed as a subspecies of the Cuban
Iguana, but they are now classed as a unique species after
studies of their genetics. Their colours range from brown all
the way to a bright blue that can be v