The Fijian Crested Iguana is critically endangered, threatened by habitat loss due to fires and storms, agricultural development, and competition from feral goats. To protect the species as a whole, two populations must be moved to more protected islands in the Fijian archipelago.
This project is on hold until a disease assessment of the Iguanas can be performed on the iguanas to be moved, to ensure that no disease is introduced to the new islands with the iguanas and that the iguanas will not be exposed to new diseases on the islands.
Taronga’s Herpetofauna Manager and international expert on Fijian Crested Iguanas, Dr Peter Harlow, has been involved in the assessment and management of Fijian Crested Iguanas for over a decade. Working with land owners, The National Trust for Fiji and local NGO Nature Fiji, Dr Harlow negotiated the translocation plan to increase the security of the species.