July 1, 2022 • 22 mins
What is a beautifully colored arboreal species found only on the Fiji Islands? We’re talking about the Fiji Iguana! Hosts Rick and Ebone reveal what makes the Fiji banded iguana unique, how this lizard is perfectly shaded to camouflage with the forest, and what classifies a lizard to be an iguana. San Diego Zoo curator of herpetology, Kim Gray, makes an appearance to explain the Species Survival Program (SSP) and the threats that impact the Fiji banded iguana.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, I'm Rick Schwartz and I'm Ebani mone. Welcome to
Amazing Wildlife, where we explore unique stories of wildlife from
around the world and uncover fascinating animal facts. This podcast
is a production of My Heart Radio and San Diego
Zoo Wildlife Alliance, in international nonprofit conservation organization behind the
(00:22):
San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. This next animal is
a beautifully colored arboreal species found only in the Fiji Islands.
This lizard is perfectly shaded to camouflage with the forests
and swamps where it's found. Rick and I are going
to dig into what makes the Fiji bandit iguana unique.
And we're also talking to San Diego Zoo Curator of Herpetology,
(00:45):
Kim Gray to learn what San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
is doing to help protect this endangered species. Rick, can
you tell us more about the Fiji iguana's native habitat?
I would love to ebony and while as the name suggests,
and as you mention and in the opening, to Fiji
iguanas are found on the Fijian Islands, and it's worth
noting those unfamiliar with this archipelago that the Fijian islands
(01:08):
are located in the South Pacific and consist of over
three hundred islands. But get this, Fiji iguanas are only
found on ten percent of Fiji's three hundred islands as
far as actual habitat. When we look specifically at the
Fiji banded iguana, they are most prevalent on the wet
central islands, generally between six hundred fifty to about a thousand,
six hundred and forty feet above sea level. They are arboreal,
(01:29):
like you mentioned, which basically means they spend most of
their time in the trees, and therefore they are found
in areas with high vegetation and trees and worth noting,
although they are arboreal like other iguanas, there are also
strong swimmers. That's interesting. So are the Fiji iguanas found
on different islands somehow different or are they all the same?
(01:52):
The answer that one is kind of yes and no.
And here's what I mean by that, ebony, A lot
of them look the same. But our partners in the
field have performed because sensive field surveys collecting samples from
nearly two hundred iguanas on thirty different islands. The results
from our DNA testing showed that wild Figi iguana populations
have a much greater genetic diversity than previously fought. We
(02:14):
found out that almost every island population that was sampled
has a unique mitochondria haplotype, meaning these populations from the
different islands do not have the exact same DNA. That
data even suggest there is at least one new species
pending morphological assessment, or the assessment of the size, shape
(02:34):
and structure of a possible new species. These genetic studies
are also very important because they raise new questions about
the appropriate conservation actions for the iguanas and therefore help
determine priorities for protecting wild populations. Where will we be
without researchers. Now, let's talk more about the Fiji iguanas color.
(02:57):
Not only are they a unique shade of light green,
but they also have a light blue stripe in some cases.
I love the color pairing. It's just beautiful. Oh yes, ebony.
They're so very beautiful, And if anyone ever has a
chance to see them, you know at the San Diego Zoo,
you just kinda want to stare at them. But it's
not just the beauty here. So the beautiful green and
(03:18):
blue colors, they serve as sort of that perfect camouflages
for life in the trees. Because their colorations are banded,
hence the name Fiji banded iguana, it really helps break
up the shape of the body in the trees, so
much so that those who research them in the wild
often refer to them as blue and green and rarely seen.
And it's worth noting males tend to have wider blue
(03:40):
or light green stripes along their body, whereas females are
generally closer to a solid green, but may have a
few white or pale blue markings. Because they live in trees,
I'd imagine that's why they aren't too big, but I
could be wrong. How big can Fiji iguanas get? Your
instincts are on this one are correct, ebony as people
who are familiar with iguanas are probably picturing in their
(04:03):
mind's eye a green iguana. But the green iguana is
much larger than the Fiji bandit iguana. For example, the
more widely known green iguana can average a length of
six and a half feet in way close to ten
or eleven pounds, But our friends, the Fiji bandit iguana,
tends to be smaller measuring closer to twenty one inch
or less than two feet in length, and more than
half of that is just tail really, and a fully
(04:25):
mature male weighs in less than half a pound. With
life mostly up in the trees. What do Fiji bandit
iguanas eat, ebany, The Fiji bandit iguana is pretty much
a herbivore or plant eater. They enjoy leaves, flowers, and
the fruits that naturally grow in its native habitat. That said,
they might occasionally eat a bug here and there, but
they don't actively hunt insects like other animals. Rick, we've
(04:48):
discussed which Fijian islands are home to the Fiji banit iguanas.
So how common is it to spot the Fiji iguana
on one of these islands. I think you've mentioned may
be tough to spot. Yes, ebony. Like we mentioned before,
it's pretty rare. We were discussing their coloration and how
they well, they blend into the trees where they live
and they're rarely on the ground. In fact, they spend
(05:10):
so little time in the ground because they have figured
out how to use overlapping limbs of the trees to
move from one tree to the next, allowing them to
stay well hidden even when they're moving throughout their habitat.
Is live above ground typical for most iguanas or is
this something very unique to the Fiji bandit iguana. That's
a good question. I like that because it really depends
(05:31):
on the species of iguana ebony. There are over forty
recognized species of iguanas alive today now checked us out.
Some of them are living in trees only, some on
the ground only, while others will use the trees and
grounds to get around however they see fit and get this,
I have to do shout out to my favorite. My
favorite species of iguana, the marine iguana, makes us home
on the beaches of the Glotacus Islands, and they spend
(05:53):
a large portion of their times swimming underwater in the
ocean feeding on algae. So, when it comes to a
typical living arrangements for iguanas, each species seems to have
really made the most of whatever habitat it finds itself in.
So let's talk about another unique trade. Can you explain
the mating dance? Yes, epony iguanas are pretty animated when
(06:15):
they're trying to attract a mate, but I'm not sure
it's something I call a mating dance. There's not a
lot of footsteps involved, so this is what they do.
Similar to other iguana species, males will approach a female
during courtship with sort of this tongue flicking behavior in
rapid head bobs. The males green and blue bands of
color tend to become more enhanced during these mating rituals
(06:36):
as well. And this is not to be confused with
territorial behaviors where males will bob their head as a
warning to another male. Although it looks similar, this behavior
lacks the tongue flicking. Who knew Figi iguana has had routines,
one for attracting a mate and another to say, I guess,
stay away exactly, Rick, I understand female Figi bandit iguanas
(06:58):
they actually leave the tree tops to lay eggs. How
does this process work? Yes, ebony. Although they spend most
of their time in the trees like we've talked about,
they do nest on the ground. So after making a
female will climb down find a suitable spot to dig
her burrow and she'll use her feet in her jaws
and this burrow that she's digging is usually a little
longer than her body length, and once she's completed digging
(07:19):
this out, she'll lay a clutch or group of three
to six eggs. She will then bury these eggs with
soil and leaf litter, patting everything down with her head.
Then it's back into the trees for the female. In
some cases, it has been recorded that a female will
guard the nest from the trees, remaining nearby until they hatch.
And it's worth noting that that is considered unusual behavior
(07:40):
for an iguana. But in true iguana fashion, neither parents
will give care to the offspring. The newly hatched iguanas
must find their own food and survive on their own,
so some people keep other species of iguanas as pets,
but the Fiji iguanas are endangered. I read because people
keep the mess pat So what's going on? What's happening? Yeah, unfortunately,
(08:03):
it's true, ebney. Although they are not domesticated and require
a lot of specialized care, including proper nutrition, housing, and more,
people do try to keep iguanas as pets. It is
usually the larger green iguana, but in some cases people
have taken other iguana species, like the Fiji bandit iguana
from the wild for the illegal pet trade and this
is very impactful on the species and sadly, it is
(08:26):
estimated that the Fiji bandit iguana population has decreased by
in the last thirty five to forty years. But that's
not just due to the illegal pet trade. The species
has experienced habitat loss due to logging, forest burning, and
increased agriculture. And like other island species, they have had
domestic cats and black rats introduced to the islands and
both non native mammal species prey upon iguanas, and the
(08:49):
rats are very good at rating nests and eating eggs
even before they've had a chance to hatch. Speaking of
invasive species, it seems to be a reoccurring yet hard
to control role problem. What are some possible solutions, particularly
once the species has been in the environment for an
extended period of time. Yeah, it really is a problem
(09:10):
for many island species, eveny most of them have evolved
without the need to defend themselves from these kind of predators,
so when they are introduced by humans on purpose or
by accident, it can have a big impact on the
populations of native species like the Fiji bandit iguana. Good
news is because this is a human created problem. We
just need to create a solution, and that's what many
(09:33):
conservationists are doing. Work is being done to remove non
native predatory animals and other non native species that may
compete for resources that the Fiji bandit iguana needs. We
love good news, and coming up, we'll talk more about
conservation efforts to increase Fiji bandit iguana populations with the
San Diego Zoo's Curator of Herpetology and ich Biology, Kim Gray.
(09:55):
But first this now it's time for the San Diego
Zoom Minute, an opportunity for you to learn what's new
at the zoo. Fiji iguanas have been making a home
at the San Diego Zoo for more than fifty years.
The Prince of Tonga gave the zoo six Fiji bandit
(10:17):
iguanas in nine and the first hatchling hatched in Did
you know? Fiji bandit iguanas feed during the day. In
between meals, they basque on the branches in the sun.
Like most lizards, these iguanas are able to make their
skin darkened. The dark color absorbs more of the sun rays,
(10:37):
which helps the iguana warm up more quickly. Don't know
We're talking today about the Fiji bandit iguana, found only
on the Fijian Islands. The majority of iguana populations are
threatened and in decline. The San Diego Zoo has the
(10:59):
largest colony of this endangered species outside of Fiji. The
zoo manages the species survival program to help ensure the
endangered species lives on through breeding, reintroduction programs, field work
and education. Kim Gray heads the San Diego Zoo, Wildlife
Alliances Fiji banded Iguana Species Survival Program. She's the curator
(11:21):
of herpetology and ich theology, Hi, Kim, Hi? So did
I say that right? What is the curator of herpetology
and ich theology? It's a mouthful, right, yes? So a
curator is somebody who basically, I'm responsible for managing all
the animal I d S records, keeping track of all
(11:43):
this longevity of animal data that we have, and then
overseeing the staff that take care of them, and also
some field programs in supporting as much conservation work as
we can. Herpetology is basically reptiles and amphibians, and ich
theology is fish apology is the study of and herbs
is reptiles, amphibians, and x is fish things. So what
(12:06):
is the alliances Fiji bandit Iguana Species Survival Program? What's
what's the main focus? Sure, so it might be a
term that you've heard some of US zoo folks say before.
A species survival plan is basically, we try to manage
our populations within our zoo community and abroad, making sure
that we have the most genetic diversity over the longest
(12:29):
amount of time. So, for example, we want to keep
track of relatives. It's like a family tree, and we
want to make sure that we aren't necessarily breeding cousins
or brothers and sisters for obvious reasons. But we want
to maintain healthy populations. So that's kind of the overview
of it. And then certain components of that are used
also in for example, fish and Wildlife service rewilding programs,
(12:51):
all kinds of things. The Fiji banit Iguana Species Survival
Program was founded years ago after an interesting discovery I
understand made within the colony of the Fiji iguanas at
the zoo. What did researchers learn about the colonies great
great grandparents, right, I think our great great great grandparents
(13:11):
a long time ago, so we were really curious because
our animals had a little bit of some unique patterns
and morphology we called morphology, so their scales were looked
a little bit different and their size was a little
bit different, and scientists we use those key characters to
help us identify species. Right and at the time, we
thought there was crested iguanas and banded iguanas just two species.
(13:34):
So we thought we might have a hybrid in our population,
and we wanted to look at if maybe our group
could serve as like a chance to read wild again,
to put these animals back into the wild and Fiji
or learn as much as we could about them and
see if that's even a possibility. And sure enough, we
looked at genetics with some sister institutions in Australia and
compared animals and lo and behold, we did we have
(13:56):
a little bit of crested genetic material in our group.
And that kind of makes sense because the group that
we have at the San Diego Zoo stems from animals
that were actually rescued in Fiji. A long time facility
there had them and they were one off animals that
were maybe found in a farm or maybe someone's cat
had accidentally injured an animal or after a storm, so
(14:17):
we were actually recipients of rescued animals. It kind of
makes sense that there would be some mixed genetics in there.
So you've mentioned the crested iguana and the bandit iguana.
How many different types of Fijian iguanas are there? Sure
so currently known to science, meaning that there's been a published,
peer reviewed scientific article published on them. There's four. However,
(14:41):
we're well aware that that's likely much higher, so it's
just a matter of completing these published findings and describing
more species to science. But the crested and banded iguana,
those are simple names that we give them, but they
all have varying levels of crests on their back, and
they all have varying levels of bands. So it's kind
(15:04):
of why we give them a general term of Fijian
iguanas because we just aren't really sure how many species
there really are. They're very cryptic and we're certain that
on some very specific islands there are unique species. So
what's the difference between the Fiji bandit iguana and say,
the Fiji crested iguana. Okay, so we talked about morphology,
(15:24):
and again that's the term we use to just describe
things like how tall is the crest, how long are
their toes, how many bands do they have, how many
scales they have around their eyes. All these unique characters
help us determine the differences, and in general, the crested
iguanas are bigger, they're found more on the dry side,
and the bandits are typically more found on the wet side.
(15:47):
I'm not sure if you've heard of that terminology when
you're speaking of tropical islands similar to Hawaii, have a
dry side and a wet side depending on which way
the winds blow and bring in the rain. So these
animals have adapted to like dry side and outside of
the island. What's crazy cool, though, is that their ancestors,
the great great, great great great great infinity grandfather. We
(16:08):
found out our local iguana, the desert iguana that's found
in San Diego County, is their closest relative. Like mind blowing, right,
Like how is this? Yeah, So there's even more questions
that we'd love to help answer. In speaking of the
different species of iguana, you mentioned that there's four that
have been scientifically identified. There was a discovery of one
(16:30):
of the species as recently as twenty seventeen. Can you
tell us about that and how exciting is that from
your perspective? Right? Very exciting, especially because these are my
colleagues that we work closely with. I was very happy
for them to see this get published. So they had
done some work back in two thousand thirteen and going
out in the field and collecting some genetic samples and
(16:50):
measuring the iguanas, and they've noticed that this one specific island,
although it looks like a bandit iguana, it was very unique,
much smaller, different characteristics and found only on that small island.
So getting to describe it, what that does is it
helps us not only learned that there's this unique species,
but maybe there's some different characteristics that helped it survives
(17:12):
specific to that island that we need to help ensure
also survives. So where does your passion for reptiles come from?
That's a good question. I love reptiles and amphibians, and
particularly Fiji iguanas, but also crocodiles. Really, I just could
go on and on and on about them. When I
was really little, my dad used to take me to
(17:34):
a zoo back home in Canada, like every day in
the summer, and I loved it, and then we even
built a pond in our backyard that had native frogs.
You know, it's funny. I wanted to work with king
cobras when I was little, so that's that was my
goal in life. Work with king Cobra's this passion. I
don't know where it comes from. I just love them.
I think they're the underdog. I think people either love
them or hate them, but there's just people have a
(17:56):
lot of questions about them, and certainly with the Fiji
and iguanas, they're so beautiful. To get to share information
with people and help them learn more about why they're
worth saving is what I love to do. So how
does identifying the different species of figina iguanas help with
conservation efforts? Sure? So, once we know how many species
(18:17):
there are, we certainly learn about what unique habitats they
live in and what threats they have, so we can
help mitigate or like remove those threats. But also we
have to help prioritize. So there's so many species that
are in trouble, and amongst the figina iguana is certainly
there's some that have more protected areas or have more
(18:38):
habitat available to them. So they might be a different
priority than a species that's got less habitat or more threats.
So we just have to work through that process because
there is limited resources and time is of the essence
and helping these species, so that really does help us
prioritize saving them. So part of the species survival program,
(18:59):
one element is education. What about keeping iguanas for pets.
What's the status of laws regulations preventing that. What's the
status of educating the public about the status of figina
iguanas and whether or not they could be kept as pets.
Certainly they are commonly kept in the pet trade in
Europe and that's one of the threats that they face
(19:21):
as wildlife trafficking. Fiji has strict laws. This is a
Society's listed species. Society's is a type of governmental regulation.
It's a permitting process that allows trade of animals. But
they're listed as Appendix one, meaning they have the highest
level of protection. Fiji also on International Biodiversity Day in
twenty they elevated their laws protecting and enforcing laws to
(19:46):
care for figina iguanas within Fiji, so they're really protected. Unfortunately,
people do like them. They are very pretty they're not
very large, so people want to keep them as pets.
So there's always more appropriate species of reptile that you
could have. For example, leopard get goes make a good pet,
but not a Fiji iguana, and we try to encourage
(20:07):
folks to think about that, and also just know that
if you want to see a Fiji, want to come
to the San Diego Zoo check them out, or go
to Fiji and see them in the wild. You don't
necessarily need to have them at home or help with
just that whole illegal trade and wildlife. Yeah, so what
are some next steps and the conservation efforts for figia iguanas.
(20:28):
We have the recovery plan that we spoke of, so
it's like a roadmap of what our next steps are.
And certainly I miss going to Fiji. I haven't been
since the pandemic happened. But next steps for us are
we have our brand new habitat for them over in
our Well Life Explorers base camp, which I'm super excited about.
So we're gonna highlight them there and talk to kids
(20:50):
and adults everybody about how much amazing work we've done
over in Fiji. We have partnerships with the National Trust
and ongoing ones with us GS, which is United States
Geological Survey, which we will work with them in Fiji
again working on items in that roadmap, so things like reforestation.
We're working on training up rangers, local community level management
(21:13):
to help assess and make sure the iguanas are doing
well on their local islands, and key partners will be
working on education and classroom programs there, and also the
tourist industry to help inform folks who go on vacation
what they can do to help protect them and care
for them in the wild and support conservation work. Those
are some of the things. There's plenty on the list.
(21:33):
That to do list is long, but we're working on it.
We've been talking to Kim Gray, the curator of Herpetology
and ich biology at the San Diego Zoo. Thanks so
much for talking with us. Thank you, thanks for listening.
We hope you enjoyed learning about the Fiji bandit iguana
and be sure to subscribe and tune into next week's episode,
(21:55):
in which we bring to the story of a bird
so big some call it the thunderbird because I believe
the bird brings thunder to the skies with the beating
of his huge wings. I'm Ebony Money and I'm Rich Schwartz.
Thanks for listening. If you would like to find out
more about the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, please visit
(22:16):
sdz w a dot org. Amazing Wildlife is a production
of I Heart Radio. Our producer is Nikia Swinton and
our executive producer is Marci to Peanut. Our audio engineer
and editor is Sierra Screen. For more shows from My
Heart Radio, check out the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast,
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Hi, I'm Rick Schwartz and I'm Ebani mone. Welcome to
Amazing Wildlife, where we explore unique stories of wildlife from
around the world and uncover fascinating animal facts. This podcast
is a production of My Heart Radio and San Diego
Zoo Wildlife Alliance, in international nonprofit conservation organization behind the
(00:22):
San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. This next animal is
a beautifully colored arboreal species found only in the Fiji Islands.
This lizard is perfectly shaded to camouflage with the forests
and swamps where it's found. Rick and I are going
to dig into what makes the Fiji bandit iguana unique.
And we're also talking to San Diego Zoo Curator of Herpetology,
(00:45):
Kim Gray to learn what San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
is doing to help protect this endangered species. Rick, can
you tell us more about the Fiji iguana's native habitat?
I would love to ebony and while as the name suggests,
and as you mention and in the opening, to Fiji
iguanas are found on the Fijian Islands, and it's worth
noting those unfamiliar with this archipelago that the Fijian islands
(01:08):
are located in the South Pacific and consist of over
three hundred islands. But get this, Fiji iguanas are only
found on ten percent of Fiji's three hundred islands as
far as actual habitat. When we look specifically at the
Fiji banded iguana, they are most prevalent on the wet
central islands, generally between six hundred fifty to about a thousand,
six hundred and forty feet above sea level. They are arboreal,
(01:29):
like you mentioned, which basically means they spend most of
their time in the trees, and therefore they are found
in areas with high vegetation and trees and worth noting,
although they are arboreal like other iguanas, there are also
strong swimmers. That's interesting. So are the Fiji iguanas found
on different islands somehow different or are they all the same?
(01:52):
The answer that one is kind of yes and no.
And here's what I mean by that, ebony, A lot
of them look the same. But our partners in the
field have performed because sensive field surveys collecting samples from
nearly two hundred iguanas on thirty different islands. The results
from our DNA testing showed that wild Figi iguana populations
have a much greater genetic diversity than previously fought. We
(02:14):
found out that almost every island population that was sampled
has a unique mitochondria haplotype, meaning these populations from the
different islands do not have the exact same DNA. That
data even suggest there is at least one new species
pending morphological assessment, or the assessment of the size, shape
(02:34):
and structure of a possible new species. These genetic studies
are also very important because they raise new questions about
the appropriate conservation actions for the iguanas and therefore help
determine priorities for protecting wild populations. Where will we be
without researchers. Now, let's talk more about the Fiji iguanas color.
(02:57):
Not only are they a unique shade of light green,
but they also have a light blue stripe in some cases.
I love the color pairing. It's just beautiful. Oh yes, ebony.
They're so very beautiful, And if anyone ever has a
chance to see them, you know at the San Diego Zoo,
you just kinda want to stare at them. But it's
not just the beauty here. So the beautiful green and
(03:18):
blue colors, they serve as sort of that perfect camouflages
for life in the trees. Because their colorations are banded,
hence the name Fiji banded iguana, it really helps break
up the shape of the body in the trees, so
much so that those who research them in the wild
often refer to them as blue and green and rarely seen.
And it's worth noting males tend to have wider blue
(03:40):
or light green stripes along their body, whereas females are
generally closer to a solid green, but may have a
few white or pale blue markings. Because they live in trees,
I'd imagine that's why they aren't too big, but I
could be wrong. How big can Fiji iguanas get? Your
instincts are on this one are correct, ebony as people
who are familiar with iguanas are probably picturing in their
(04:03):
mind's eye a green iguana. But the green iguana is
much larger than the Fiji bandit iguana. For example, the
more widely known green iguana can average a length of
six and a half feet in way close to ten
or eleven pounds, But our friends, the Fiji bandit iguana,
tends to be smaller measuring closer to twenty one inch
or less than two feet in length, and more than
half of that is just tail really, and a fully
(04:25):
mature male weighs in less than half a pound. With
life mostly up in the trees. What do Fiji bandit
iguanas eat, ebany, The Fiji bandit iguana is pretty much
a herbivore or plant eater. They enjoy leaves, flowers, and
the fruits that naturally grow in its native habitat. That said,
they might occasionally eat a bug here and there, but
they don't actively hunt insects like other animals. Rick, we've
(04:48):
discussed which Fijian islands are home to the Fiji banit iguanas.
So how common is it to spot the Fiji iguana
on one of these islands. I think you've mentioned may
be tough to spot. Yes, ebony. Like we mentioned before,
it's pretty rare. We were discussing their coloration and how
they well, they blend into the trees where they live
and they're rarely on the ground. In fact, they spend
(05:10):
so little time in the ground because they have figured
out how to use overlapping limbs of the trees to
move from one tree to the next, allowing them to
stay well hidden even when they're moving throughout their habitat.
Is live above ground typical for most iguanas or is
this something very unique to the Fiji bandit iguana. That's
a good question. I like that because it really depends
(05:31):
on the species of iguana ebony. There are over forty
recognized species of iguanas alive today now checked us out.
Some of them are living in trees only, some on
the ground only, while others will use the trees and
grounds to get around however they see fit and get this,
I have to do shout out to my favorite. My
favorite species of iguana, the marine iguana, makes us home
on the beaches of the Glotacus Islands, and they spend
(05:53):
a large portion of their times swimming underwater in the
ocean feeding on algae. So, when it comes to a
typical living arrangements for iguanas, each species seems to have
really made the most of whatever habitat it finds itself in.
So let's talk about another unique trade. Can you explain
the mating dance? Yes, epony iguanas are pretty animated when
(06:15):
they're trying to attract a mate, but I'm not sure
it's something I call a mating dance. There's not a
lot of footsteps involved, so this is what they do.
Similar to other iguana species, males will approach a female
during courtship with sort of this tongue flicking behavior in
rapid head bobs. The males green and blue bands of
color tend to become more enhanced during these mating rituals
(06:36):
as well. And this is not to be confused with
territorial behaviors where males will bob their head as a
warning to another male. Although it looks similar, this behavior
lacks the tongue flicking. Who knew Figi iguana has had routines,
one for attracting a mate and another to say, I guess,
stay away exactly, Rick, I understand female Figi bandit iguanas
(06:58):
they actually leave the tree tops to lay eggs. How
does this process work? Yes, ebony. Although they spend most
of their time in the trees like we've talked about,
they do nest on the ground. So after making a
female will climb down find a suitable spot to dig
her burrow and she'll use her feet in her jaws
and this burrow that she's digging is usually a little
longer than her body length, and once she's completed digging
(07:19):
this out, she'll lay a clutch or group of three
to six eggs. She will then bury these eggs with
soil and leaf litter, patting everything down with her head.
Then it's back into the trees for the female. In
some cases, it has been recorded that a female will
guard the nest from the trees, remaining nearby until they hatch.
And it's worth noting that that is considered unusual behavior
(07:40):
for an iguana. But in true iguana fashion, neither parents
will give care to the offspring. The newly hatched iguanas
must find their own food and survive on their own,
so some people keep other species of iguanas as pets,
but the Fiji iguanas are endangered. I read because people
keep the mess pat So what's going on? What's happening? Yeah, unfortunately,
(08:03):
it's true, ebney. Although they are not domesticated and require
a lot of specialized care, including proper nutrition, housing, and more,
people do try to keep iguanas as pets. It is
usually the larger green iguana, but in some cases people
have taken other iguana species, like the Fiji bandit iguana
from the wild for the illegal pet trade and this
is very impactful on the species and sadly, it is
(08:26):
estimated that the Fiji bandit iguana population has decreased by
in the last thirty five to forty years. But that's
not just due to the illegal pet trade. The species
has experienced habitat loss due to logging, forest burning, and
increased agriculture. And like other island species, they have had
domestic cats and black rats introduced to the islands and
both non native mammal species prey upon iguanas, and the
(08:49):
rats are very good at rating nests and eating eggs
even before they've had a chance to hatch. Speaking of
invasive species, it seems to be a reoccurring yet hard
to control role problem. What are some possible solutions, particularly
once the species has been in the environment for an
extended period of time. Yeah, it really is a problem
(09:10):
for many island species, eveny most of them have evolved
without the need to defend themselves from these kind of predators,
so when they are introduced by humans on purpose or
by accident, it can have a big impact on the
populations of native species like the Fiji bandit iguana. Good
news is because this is a human created problem. We
just need to create a solution, and that's what many
(09:33):
conservationists are doing. Work is being done to remove non
native predatory animals and other non native species that may
compete for resources that the Fiji bandit iguana needs. We
love good news, and coming up, we'll talk more about
conservation efforts to increase Fiji bandit iguana populations with the
San Diego Zoo's Curator of Herpetology and ich Biology, Kim Gray.
(09:55):
But first this now it's time for the San Diego
Zoom Minute, an opportunity for you to learn what's new
at the zoo. Fiji iguanas have been making a home
at the San Diego Zoo for more than fifty years.
The Prince of Tonga gave the zoo six Fiji bandit
(10:17):
iguanas in nine and the first hatchling hatched in Did
you know? Fiji bandit iguanas feed during the day. In
between meals, they basque on the branches in the sun.
Like most lizards, these iguanas are able to make their
skin darkened. The dark color absorbs more of the sun rays,
(10:37):
which helps the iguana warm up more quickly. Don't know
We're talking today about the Fiji bandit iguana, found only
on the Fijian Islands. The majority of iguana populations are
threatened and in decline. The San Diego Zoo has the
(10:59):
largest colony of this endangered species outside of Fiji. The
zoo manages the species survival program to help ensure the
endangered species lives on through breeding, reintroduction programs, field work
and education. Kim Gray heads the San Diego Zoo, Wildlife
Alliances Fiji banded Iguana Species Survival Program. She's the curator
(11:21):
of herpetology and ich theology, Hi, Kim, Hi? So did
I say that right? What is the curator of herpetology
and ich theology? It's a mouthful, right, yes? So a
curator is somebody who basically, I'm responsible for managing all
the animal I d S records, keeping track of all
(11:43):
this longevity of animal data that we have, and then
overseeing the staff that take care of them, and also
some field programs in supporting as much conservation work as
we can. Herpetology is basically reptiles and amphibians, and ich
theology is fish apology is the study of and herbs
is reptiles, amphibians, and x is fish things. So what
(12:06):
is the alliances Fiji bandit Iguana Species Survival Program? What's
what's the main focus? Sure, so it might be a
term that you've heard some of US zoo folks say before.
A species survival plan is basically, we try to manage
our populations within our zoo community and abroad, making sure
that we have the most genetic diversity over the longest
(12:29):
amount of time. So, for example, we want to keep
track of relatives. It's like a family tree, and we
want to make sure that we aren't necessarily breeding cousins
or brothers and sisters for obvious reasons. But we want
to maintain healthy populations. So that's kind of the overview
of it. And then certain components of that are used
also in for example, fish and Wildlife service rewilding programs,
(12:51):
all kinds of things. The Fiji banit Iguana Species Survival
Program was founded years ago after an interesting discovery I
understand made within the colony of the Fiji iguanas at
the zoo. What did researchers learn about the colonies great
great grandparents, right, I think our great great great grandparents
(13:11):
a long time ago, so we were really curious because
our animals had a little bit of some unique patterns
and morphology we called morphology, so their scales were looked
a little bit different and their size was a little
bit different, and scientists we use those key characters to
help us identify species. Right and at the time, we
thought there was crested iguanas and banded iguanas just two species.
(13:34):
So we thought we might have a hybrid in our population,
and we wanted to look at if maybe our group
could serve as like a chance to read wild again,
to put these animals back into the wild and Fiji
or learn as much as we could about them and
see if that's even a possibility. And sure enough, we
looked at genetics with some sister institutions in Australia and
compared animals and lo and behold, we did we have
(13:56):
a little bit of crested genetic material in our group.
And that kind of makes sense because the group that
we have at the San Diego Zoo stems from animals
that were actually rescued in Fiji. A long time facility
there had them and they were one off animals that
were maybe found in a farm or maybe someone's cat
had accidentally injured an animal or after a storm, so
(14:17):
we were actually recipients of rescued animals. It kind of
makes sense that there would be some mixed genetics in there.
So you've mentioned the crested iguana and the bandit iguana.
How many different types of Fijian iguanas are there? Sure
so currently known to science, meaning that there's been a published,
peer reviewed scientific article published on them. There's four. However,
(14:41):
we're well aware that that's likely much higher, so it's
just a matter of completing these published findings and describing
more species to science. But the crested and banded iguana,
those are simple names that we give them, but they
all have varying levels of crests on their back, and
they all have varying levels of bands. So it's kind
(15:04):
of why we give them a general term of Fijian
iguanas because we just aren't really sure how many species
there really are. They're very cryptic and we're certain that
on some very specific islands there are unique species. So
what's the difference between the Fiji bandit iguana and say,
the Fiji crested iguana. Okay, so we talked about morphology,
(15:24):
and again that's the term we use to just describe
things like how tall is the crest, how long are
their toes, how many bands do they have, how many
scales they have around their eyes. All these unique characters
help us determine the differences, and in general, the crested
iguanas are bigger, they're found more on the dry side,
and the bandits are typically more found on the wet side.
(15:47):
I'm not sure if you've heard of that terminology when
you're speaking of tropical islands similar to Hawaii, have a
dry side and a wet side depending on which way
the winds blow and bring in the rain. So these
animals have adapted to like dry side and outside of
the island. What's crazy cool, though, is that their ancestors,
the great great, great great great great infinity grandfather. We
(16:08):
found out our local iguana, the desert iguana that's found
in San Diego County, is their closest relative. Like mind blowing, right,
Like how is this? Yeah, So there's even more questions
that we'd love to help answer. In speaking of the
different species of iguana, you mentioned that there's four that
have been scientifically identified. There was a discovery of one
(16:30):
of the species as recently as twenty seventeen. Can you
tell us about that and how exciting is that from
your perspective? Right? Very exciting, especially because these are my
colleagues that we work closely with. I was very happy
for them to see this get published. So they had
done some work back in two thousand thirteen and going
out in the field and collecting some genetic samples and
(16:50):
measuring the iguanas, and they've noticed that this one specific island,
although it looks like a bandit iguana, it was very unique,
much smaller, different characteristics and found only on that small island.
So getting to describe it, what that does is it
helps us not only learned that there's this unique species,
but maybe there's some different characteristics that helped it survives
(17:12):
specific to that island that we need to help ensure
also survives. So where does your passion for reptiles come from?
That's a good question. I love reptiles and amphibians, and
particularly Fiji iguanas, but also crocodiles. Really, I just could
go on and on and on about them. When I
was really little, my dad used to take me to
(17:34):
a zoo back home in Canada, like every day in
the summer, and I loved it, and then we even
built a pond in our backyard that had native frogs.
You know, it's funny. I wanted to work with king
cobras when I was little, so that's that was my
goal in life. Work with king Cobra's this passion. I
don't know where it comes from. I just love them.
I think they're the underdog. I think people either love
them or hate them, but there's just people have a
(17:56):
lot of questions about them, and certainly with the Fiji
and iguanas, they're so beautiful. To get to share information
with people and help them learn more about why they're
worth saving is what I love to do. So how
does identifying the different species of figina iguanas help with
conservation efforts? Sure? So, once we know how many species
(18:17):
there are, we certainly learn about what unique habitats they
live in and what threats they have, so we can
help mitigate or like remove those threats. But also we
have to help prioritize. So there's so many species that
are in trouble, and amongst the figina iguana is certainly
there's some that have more protected areas or have more
(18:38):
habitat available to them. So they might be a different
priority than a species that's got less habitat or more threats.
So we just have to work through that process because
there is limited resources and time is of the essence
and helping these species, so that really does help us
prioritize saving them. So part of the species survival program,
(18:59):
one element is education. What about keeping iguanas for pets.
What's the status of laws regulations preventing that. What's the
status of educating the public about the status of figina
iguanas and whether or not they could be kept as pets.
Certainly they are commonly kept in the pet trade in
Europe and that's one of the threats that they face
(19:21):
as wildlife trafficking. Fiji has strict laws. This is a
Society's listed species. Society's is a type of governmental regulation.
It's a permitting process that allows trade of animals. But
they're listed as Appendix one, meaning they have the highest
level of protection. Fiji also on International Biodiversity Day in
twenty they elevated their laws protecting and enforcing laws to
(19:46):
care for figina iguanas within Fiji, so they're really protected. Unfortunately,
people do like them. They are very pretty they're not
very large, so people want to keep them as pets.
So there's always more appropriate species of reptile that you
could have. For example, leopard get goes make a good pet,
but not a Fiji iguana, and we try to encourage
(20:07):
folks to think about that, and also just know that
if you want to see a Fiji, want to come
to the San Diego Zoo check them out, or go
to Fiji and see them in the wild. You don't
necessarily need to have them at home or help with
just that whole illegal trade and wildlife. Yeah, so what
are some next steps and the conservation efforts for figia iguanas.
(20:28):
We have the recovery plan that we spoke of, so
it's like a roadmap of what our next steps are.
And certainly I miss going to Fiji. I haven't been
since the pandemic happened. But next steps for us are
we have our brand new habitat for them over in
our Well Life Explorers base camp, which I'm super excited about.
So we're gonna highlight them there and talk to kids
(20:50):
and adults everybody about how much amazing work we've done
over in Fiji. We have partnerships with the National Trust
and ongoing ones with us GS, which is United States
Geological Survey, which we will work with them in Fiji
again working on items in that roadmap, so things like reforestation.
We're working on training up rangers, local community level management
(21:13):
to help assess and make sure the iguanas are doing
well on their local islands, and key partners will be
working on education and classroom programs there, and also the
tourist industry to help inform folks who go on vacation
what they can do to help protect them and care
for them in the wild and support conservation work. Those
are some of the things. There's plenty on the list.
(21:33):
That to do list is long, but we're working on it.
We've been talking to Kim Gray, the curator of Herpetology
and ich biology at the San Diego Zoo. Thanks so
much for talking with us. Thank you, thanks for listening.
We hope you enjoyed learning about the Fiji bandit iguana
and be sure to subscribe and tune into next week's episode,
(21:55):
in which we bring to the story of a bird
so big some call it the thunderbird because I believe
the bird brings thunder to the skies with the beating
of his huge wings. I'm Ebony Money and I'm Rich Schwartz.
Thanks for listening. If you would like to find out
more about the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, please visit
(22:16):
sdz w a dot org. Amazing Wildlife is a production
of I Heart Radio. Our producer is Nikia Swinton and
our executive producer is Marci to Peanut. Our audio engineer
and editor is Sierra Screen. For more shows from My
Heart Radio, check out the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast,
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Hosts And Creators
Rick Schwartz
Marco Wendt
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