Zoos with the rarest / most endangered iguanas

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Iguanas are one of the most threatened genus of reptiles due to the many anthropogenic pressures exerted on wild populations and are therefore kept ex-situ by many zoos for captive breeding / insurance populations.

This gives us zoochatters the chance to view these animals in all their strange saurian beauty even as their populations are being decimated in the wild.

I was thinking it might be interesting to create a thread similar to one I have done before on freshwater turtles but solely on this topic and listing the zoos around the world where some of the rarest iguana species can be seen in captivity.

What vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered iguanas do you know of being kept by zoos ?

What are the enclosures and educational displays of these exhibits like ?

Do you have a favourite iguana species ?



Look forward to your replies !

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

"Mark" the lesser Antillean iguana at Jersey zoo, UK, this zoo was the first to hold and breed the species in captivity and is heavily involved with its in-situ conservation in the Caribbean:

Lesser Antillean iguana enjoying a snooze at Jersey zoo:

A subadult lesser Antillean iguana at Paignton zoo, UK:

Lesser Antillean iguana at Chester zoo:

Mixed species exhibit (biogeographically correct) for lesser Antillean iguana and mountain chicken frogs at Chester zoo:

Lesser Antillean iguanas at Prague zoo, Czech Republic.

A brilliant looking lesser Antillean iguana enclosure at Rotterdam zoo, the Netherlands:

Photo credits to @vogelcommando , @ThylacineAlive , @Indlovu , @Gigit ,@LeeMac13 , @gentle lemur , @Maguari and @JerseyLotte.

 

[Zorro]

I find all species interesting and do not place one over the other. I have been following the progress of a number off species with the"International Iguana Foundation" website. They also have a Facebook site. I believe that a number of zoos with the USA work with them on a number of rare species!

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Some unusual mixed-species iguana shots from the gallery:

A common marmoset hitching a ride on the head of a green iguana, gentleshaw wildlife park, UK:

Aldabra tortoise and rhinoceros iguana mixed species enclosure with both just chilling out, Artis Royal zoo, the Netherlands:

A lesser Antillean iguana "making friends" with a giant Asian forest turtle, Chester zoo, UK:

A rhinoceros iguana ahem getting friendly with an African spurred tortoise , ZSL London zoo, UK:

A green iguana and a box turtle (species?) at Colchester zoo, UK:

A rhinoceros iguana and a leopard tortoise at Blackpool zoo, UK:

Green iguana and red footed tortoise and Ocean park, Hong Kong:

Cuban iguana and yellow footed tortoise at Reptilland, USA:

Green iguana and African spurred tortoises at Berkenhof's Tropical zoo, the Netherlands:

Green iguana and white lipped tamarin at Malmo Reptilcenter, Sweden:

Rhinoceros iguana and Aldabra giant tortoise at Darling Downs zoo, Australia:

Green iguana and gold tegu at Lodz zoo, Poland:

Photo credits to @MagpieGoose, @Jordan-Jaguar97 , @Peter, @zoo_enthusiast , @WhistlingKite24 , @Toddy , @vogelcommando , @JamesB , @Al , @Indlovu ,

 

[Zorro]

I believe there are some pics in the forums Darling Downs zoos gallery of Rhino Iguanas living with the Aldabra Tortoises!

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I find all species interesting and do not place one over the other. I have been following the progress of a number off species with the"International Iguana Foundation" website. They also have a Facebook site. I believe that a number of zoos with the USA work with them on a number of rare species!

Thanks for the comment @Zorro !

I find them all interesting too but I do have to admit that I do have a favourite / favourites amongst the iguanas.

My favourite would have to be the rhinoceros iguana and the Ricord's iguana in the Dominican Republic / Hispaniola and in fact I wanted to research these and their ecology and conservation in the Lake Enriquillo area / Jaragua-Bahoruco reserve of that country but it never happened in the end.

Yes, the International Iguana Foundation is a great organization and do some brilliant work in supporting in-situ efforts with iguanas in Central America, the Carribbean, Galapagos and the Pacific.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I believe there are some pics in the forums Darling Downs zoos gallery of Rhino Iguanas living with the Aldabra Tortoises!

Thanks for mentioning @Zorro will check it out and have a look

 

[WhistlingKite24]

I have a soft spot for the Fijian Iguanas (Brachylophus) in particular. Here are a few of the exhibits for these animals I have seen in Australia.

Fijian Crested Iguana/Star Tortoise Enclosure at Australia Zoo:

Fijian Crested Iguana Enclosure at Wildlife HQ:

Enclosures for tropical reptiles including Fijian Banded Iguana and Fijian Crested Iguana at Taronga Zoo (the one with the beach backdrop in the middle is the crested iguana enclosure):

 

[TinoPup]

Virginia Safari Park has green iguana in with golden headed lion tamarins:

Virginia Safari Park - Golden-headed Tamarins and Green Iguana

• TinoPup
• 25 Jun 2020

Virginia Safari Park - Green Iguana

• TinoPup
• 25 Jun 2020
• 1

Claws N Paws has one indoors with a sloth and an unsigned tortoise:

Claws N Paws - Common iguana, sloth

• TinoPup
• 19 Jul 2020

Lehigh Valley has desert iguana, chuckwalla, and gila monster together:

Lehigh Valley Zoo - gila monster, desert iguana, chuckwalla

• TinoPup
• 2 Aug 2019

Bronx puts their spiny iguana with radiated and spider tortoises:

Radiated Tortoise, Spider Tortoise, and Spiny Iguana

• TinoPup
• 24 Mar 2019

 

[TinoPup]

Rarest I've seen would probably be the critically endangered Utila Iguana, at Virginia Zoo:

Utila Island Iguana

• TinoPup
• 10 May 2019

My favorite species is Fiji Banded, which I usually see a few times a year in zoos. Rhinoceros and Blue/Grand Cayman are both endangered and fairly present in zoos, as well.

 

[birdsandbats]

Jamaican, Grand Cayman, and Fiji Banded Iguanas are all around in US zoos in good numbers. Shedd Aquariums has two Exuma Island Rock Iguanas, I believe they may be the only holder.

 

[red river hog]

Elmwood Park Zoo keeps Green Iguanas with White-faced Sakis and Patagonian Maras.

This is a picture of the indoor area.

An this is the outdoor space.

Unfortunately, I can't find any pictures with multiple species in the same shot.

It's also worth noting that at the time these pictures were taken, this enclosure had Black Howler Monkeys.

Photo credit: @zoo_enthusiast

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Jamaican, Grand Cayman, and Fiji Banded Iguanas are all around in US zoos in good numbers. Shedd Aquariums has two Exuma Island Rock Iguanas, I believe they may be the only holder.

Thats interesting about the Exuma and Jamaican iguanas, I don't think they are held by zoos outside the USA (and their range countries) right ?

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Jamaican iguanas and their exhibits at several US zoos:

Jamaican iguanas at the Atlanta zoo, USA:

Quite a nice exhibit / terrarium for these at Atlanta:

Jamaican iguana at Saint Louis zoo, USA:

Jamaican iguana exhibit / terrarium at Saint Louis zoo, USA:

Jamaican iguana at the Brookfield zoo:

Photo credits to @geomorph, @KCZooFan , @Moebelle , @snowleopard , @Blackduiker and @ThylacineAlive

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Iguanas at Shedd aquarium, USA:

Exuma Island iguanas :

Bahamian rock iguana :

Bahamian rock iguana exhibit :

Grand Cayman blue iguana:

Grand Cayman blue iguana exhibit / terrarium:

Photo credits to @carlos55 , @Coelacanth18, @geomorph ,@Wild wolverine , @Moebelle , @KCZooFan.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I have a soft spot for the Fijian Iguanas (Brachylophus) in particular. Here are a few of the exhibits for these animals I have seen in Australia.

Fijian Crested Iguana/Star Tortoise Enclosure at Australia Zoo:

Fijian Crested Iguana Enclosure at Wildlife HQ:

Enclosures for tropical reptiles including Fijian Banded Iguana and Fijian Crested Iguana at Taronga Zoo (the one with the beach backdrop in the middle is the crested iguana enclosure):

Thanks for sharing @WhistlingKite24 !

I think that these are a really striking and distinctive looking species of iguana , such beautiful colouration.

Both the Australia zoo enclosure and the one at Taronga zoo are really spacious and decent looking enclosures for this species.

Which of these exhibits do you prefer ?

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Virginia Safari Park has green iguana in with golden headed lion tamarins:

Virginia Safari Park - Golden-headed Tamarins and Green Iguana

• TinoPup
• 25 Jun 2020

Virginia Safari Park - Green Iguana

• TinoPup
• 25 Jun 2020
• 1

Claws N Paws has one indoors with a sloth and an unsigned tortoise:

Claws N Paws - Common iguana, sloth

• TinoPup
• 19 Jul 2020

Lehigh Valley has desert iguana, chuckwalla, and gila monster together:

Lehigh Valley Zoo - gila monster, desert iguana, chuckwalla

• TinoPup
• 2 Aug 2019

Bronx puts their spiny iguana with radiated and spider tortoises:

Radiated Tortoise, Spider Tortoise, and Spiny Iguana

• TinoPup
• 24 Mar 2019

Thanks for sharing @TinoPup !

Its really interesting how frequently that iguanas are successfully integrated within mixed-species enclosures / exhibits.

The Lehigh valley exhibit with the desert iguana / chuckwalla and gila monster together seems to be an interesting mix.

The green iguana seems the most suitable for mixed species-exhibits apparently and I've seen quite a few of these mixes with Callitrichids, toucans, tortoises etc.

It is quite funny how Callitrichids respond to the iguana and how often you can see them riding or sitting on the animals back.

Rarest I've seen would probably be the critically endangered Utila Iguana, at Virginia Zoo:

Utila Island Iguana

• TinoPup
• 10 May 2019

My favorite species is Fiji Banded, which I usually see a few times a year in zoos. Rhinoceros and Blue/Grand Cayman are both endangered and fairly present in zoos, as well.

That is a very rare iguana species indeed, I've only seen it myself at ZSL London from what I remember.

Why is the Fijian banded iguana your favourite species ?

 

[TinoPup]

Thanks for sharing @TinoPup !

Its really interesting how frequently that iguanas are successfully integrated within mixed-species enclosures / exhibits.

The Lehigh valley exhibit with the desert iguana / chuckwalla and gila monster together seems to be an interesting mix.

The green iguana seems the most suitable for mixed species-exhibits apparently and I've seen quite a few of these mixes with Callitrichids, toucans, tortoises etc.

It is quite funny how Callitrichids respond to the iguana and how often you can see them riding or sitting on the animals back.



That is a very rare iguana species indeed, I've only seen it myself at ZSL London from what I remember.

Why is the Fijian banded iguana your favourite species ?

Greens seem to get tossed in to a lot of random exhibits, especially in non-AZA zoos. I imagine a lot of them are rescues. They seem really easy going for the most part.

They're my favorite shade of green Same for green/plumed basilisk.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Greens seem to get tossed in to a lot of random exhibits, especially in non-AZA zoos. I imagine a lot of them are rescues. They seem really easy going for the most part.

They're my favorite shade of green Same for green/plumed basilisk.

Yes, same here in Brazil and in Mexico too, I think some of those iguanas have the patience of Saints and particularly in Callitrichid exhibits / mixed-species enclosure , lol.

The Fijian iguana has a really beautiful colouration with that striking green and the contrast of those white stripes.

 

[Jurek7]

I am afraid green iguanas, like slider turtles, are often tossed in poor exhibits in Europe. Probably because there are lots of rescue animals.

Old Emmen zoo had an interesting exhibit of rhinoceros iguanas in their Biochron building, next to dinosaur models.