Which species are endangered, and how to help life cycle of amblyrhynchus cristatus: the marine iguana of Galapagos; this is our topic today. You might didn’t know that there is a famous marine species of iguana originated in Galapagos Islands of Republic of Ecuador. As the name, this species of lizard could only be found in the wildlife of the island, which is part of the species that have been claimed as endangered species of iguana. We do understand that these days, numbers of wild animals has been throw under the threat of extinction.
From the polar bear and penguin species in the corner of Antarctica, to the midst of savanna in South Africa; no creatures could escape from the threat. As the only being who could help to save animal before they extinct, we should do our maximum job due the survival of these poor animals. So, today, we would specialize our topic to iguanas. What kind of iguana’s species that have been included to the list of endangered animals; also, focusing our subject into the marine iguana of Galapagos called amblyrhynchus cristatus.
Learn more about these species could enlighten us; give us the perspective of the strategy to save their lives. Know how to safe their natural habitat, help them to manipulate the life cycle and reproduction to keep increasing the number of individual on every species. I know, is not an easy job, but it a must. These animals cannot protect themselves from disaster of nature and human error causes. They cannot hide from climate changes – and nor us as human; but at least, we do have ability to create the way out because we were created with high intelligence brain to think and discover new things.
However, without further do; here is Which species are endangered, and how to help life cycle of amblyrhynchus cristatus: the marine iguana of Galapagos. Sit on the most comfortable chair my friend, because you would not go anywhere for several minutes.
The List of Endangered Iguana
The IUCN was claimed that iguanas are included into the world’s most endangered animals among the earth. The threat have been enlarged by many causes such as invasive species, human development and captivated for personal use, also the most devastating and unstoppable caused of severe degradation of natural habitat. Movement already held by organizations and institution to hold back this species meet to their end.
Now, we would learn about the some of the name of iguana that have been included into the red line of endangered animals:
Grand Cayman Blue Iguana
We need to be grateful for the effort of restless people whose changed the status of grand cayman blue iguana from critically to endangered. The list of IUCN successfully downgraded from the red list. In 2012 about 25 individuals are left from this species, but now it’s increased to the number of 750 individual around the world.
Jamaican Iguana
IUCN already classified Jamaican iguana as the list of threatened species. Jamaican iguana only could be found in Hellshire Hills tropical forest of Jamaica. Moreover, people thought that this species already extinct in the 1940s; turned out rediscovered again in the 1990s. The good news is that San Diego Zoo successfully bred Jamaican iguana for several years.
Anegada Iguana
Anegada iguana is in status of critically endangered. This species founded in British Virgin Islands named Anegada; Anegada iguana also could be found in Puerto Rico’s island. Unfortunately, this animal almost gone and disappear caused by people who used to captivated them for livestock purpose, also the wildlife competition and predators. Alongside with the British Virgin Islands National Parks, San Diego Zoo, and Fort Worth Zoo conservation cooperation successfully released about 179 individuals of Anegada Iguana to the wild.
The Marine Iguana of Galapagos Islands
Marine iguana had short, thickset body and robust limbs. Most of the adults marine iguana has extending spines from the nape to the back of the tail, and male do have longer spine than female, also bigger bony plates too in the top of the head. Although mostly painted in black, some marine iguana also beautified with dorsal light stripe, and some of them also coloration with grey. The black give marine iguana to absorb more heat to minimize lethargy’s period after emerged from water.
The estimate of common marine iguana’s size is about 12 to 56 cm plus the tail which is about 17 to 84 cm. Moreover, their maximum weight is about 12 kg in adult. The weight could be differently depend on the sea, because most of their source of food was relied on the sea.
Life Cycle of Marine Iguana
The mate season for marine iguana begins during the cold (the last period of the season), and the dry season, which is could be estimate during the month of December to March; and the period of nesting is about January to April. If they (marine iguana) has plenty of food, the female could be breed each year; but if it doesn’t, they would breed typically in every other year. Furthermore, just like typical other animal, the male is chosen by the female; and for marine iguana, the judgment was based on size of the body.
The bigger male would display more power and affected to the reproductive performance which is increase the level of survival hatchling and mating success. So, how could we help the survival of this species?
The Conservation
Now, this species and all the sub-species was under the watched of IUCN and official law of Ecuador due to population recovery. However, what can we do to save and help the cycle life of marine iguana keep running in a good way, is increase the protection for marine iguana. Marine iguana is the main food for some predators, such as dogs and hawks. Dogs commonly would take an adult marine iguana, and the other predators might get their eggs and young ages.
Of course, this circulation of event would not bring any benefit to marine iguana. Knowing all kind of predators that might harm the hatchling process could give a time for the the eggs and young ages to survive. The bad news is that marine iguana isn’t just attacked on the land, but also under the water. They would occasionally eaten by shark and other carnivore fishes. We could protect them while they roam under the water, but we certainly could on the land.
There have been planning to remove all the predators that could harm the life cycle of marine iguana, but it’s considering as impossible mission. Dogs could be taken easily, but the feral cat and rats which eat the eggs is another problem. So, many of them already kept in the safe facility owned by official bodies. So, people; if you want to be part of saving marine iguana. You could easily help them by protecting individuals and their eggs from the predators. Also, please take care of the sea as the main source of food of marine iguana.
That’s it: which species are endangered, and how to help life cycle of amblyrhynchus cristatus. Ciao, my beloved friends!