Bahamian rock iguanas in Exuma Park: the species, the Exuma Island iguana and their status

Rock iguanas are among the animals the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park protects. The name covers one species and several subspecies, and each has its own conservation status. This page keeps the levels apart. For the rest of the park’s animals, see the wildlife guide.

Are there iguanas in the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park?

Yes. The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) lists observing tons of wildlife, including birds, fish, turtles and iguanas, as something to do in the park⁴. The northern Bahamian rock iguana (Cyclura cychlura) is found on Andros Island and the Exuma islands in the Bahamas¹.

In 2002, Shedd Aquarium translocated sixteen iguanas to the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park in an effort to establish the species in a protected area². Since 1995, Shedd Aquarium has allowed volunteers to help survey populations of Exuma Island iguanas as a form of ecotourism².

Which Bahamian rock iguana lives in the Exumas?

The Exuma Island iguana is a subspecies found on the Exuma island chain². It lives on at least seven small cays in the central and southern Exumas: Bitter Guana, Gaulin, White Bay, Noddy, North Adderly, Leaf and Guana². The Allen’s Cay rock iguana is another subspecies, found on Allen’s Cay and adjacent islands³. The Allen’s Cay iguanas guide explains where that cay sits in relation to the park boundary.

Are Bahamian rock iguanas endangered?

The answer depends on the level. Each row below gives its source.

Level	Status	Source
Northern Bahamian rock iguana, whole species	Vulnerable; wild population under 5,0001	Wikipedia, citing the IUCN Red List
Same species, 2004 IUCN assessment	Species vulnerable; each of its three subspecies endangered1	Wikipedia, citing the IUCN
Exuma Island iguana (subspecies)	Critically endangered; under 1,300 wild animals in 20042	Wikipedia
Allen’s Cay rock iguana (subspecies)	Critically endangered3	Wikipedia

The species population had decreased by at least 50% over the last 60 years¹. The Exuma Island iguana was said to have declined by at least 20% over the past 50 years².

What threatens Exuma iguanas?

In 2004 the IUCN said the Exuma populations were imperilled by feral animals (goats), fires caused by tourists, and rapid private land acquisition, primarily for tourism¹. Feral animals that pose a threat are cats, dogs, hogs and goats. Dogs prey on juvenile and adult iguanas, and hogs eat their eggs¹. All populations were still occasionally hunted for meat or for the pet trade, according to the IUCN in 2004¹.

A large-scale fire, possibly caused by a tourist’s cigarette, was reported on an iguana-inhabited island in 2004².

What do Exuma Island iguanas eat, and how long do they live?

The Exuma Island iguana, like most Cyclura species, is primarily herbivorous, eating leaves, flowers, berries and fruits from over 100 plant species². The longevity record in captivity is 23 years and 6 months².

Can you feed the iguanas?

Tourists often feed human food items to iguanas on Leaf Cay, according to a 2014 report in The Tribune⁶. A warden quoted there said feeding takes the iguanas away from their natural food cycle and also causes problems for them⁶. The report adds that it is dangerous to allow people to hand-feed them, since a red fingernail can be mistaken for food⁶.

What protects the iguanas?

Like all Bahamian rock iguanas, the Exuma Island iguana is protected in the Bahamas under the Wild Animals Protection Act of 1968². The Bahamian government has no captive breeding or conservation program for the Exuma Island iguana².

Pets are restricted to beaches only. No pets are permitted on trails or in the brush⁵.

Pets must be leashed or physically restrained from harassing or harming wildlife and vegetation at all times⁵.

The park’s rules say pets have caused the destruction of bird nesting sites and the loss of rare or endangered species, rock iguanas and hutia among them⁵. Captive wild species, whether native or non-native, and barnyard animals are prohibited from park property⁵. Read the full park rules, then see the Bahamian hutia guide and the Nassau grouper guide.