Conservationists Turn Deserted Island into Dating Oasis for Iguanas on the Brink of Extinction

A group of iguanas in the Caribbean has its own “love island.”

According to a release from Re:wild, a conservation nonprofit organization, in 2016, conservationists started moving Lesser Antillean iguanas from the main island of Anguilla, where non-native iguanas were challenging and outpacing the critically endangered species, to an uninhabited islet called Prickly Pear East.

At this deserted islet, there were no humans and no invasive iguanas, so conservationists hoped the new setting would give Lesser Antillean iguanas the chance to meet and procreate in peace. Now, almost 10 years after the first 23 Lesser Antillean iguanas moved to Prickly Pear East, there is a substantial population of Lesser Antillean iguanas established on the islet, and it’s rapidly increasing.

Much like a reality show producer on a dating show, conservationists have stepped in to help the available iguana singles on Prickly Pear East find love.

In 2021, experts worried that Prickly Pear East lacked sufficient genetic diversity in its growing population of Lesser Antillean iguanas. As a solution, the minds behind the conservation project in Anguilla reached out to the Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division in Dominica. They asked the island to send young Lesser Antillean iguanas to Prickly Pear East to boost the availability of healthy, prospective mates.

Dominica agreed and had their conservationists chaperone 10 young Lesser Antillean iguanas to Prickly Pear East. With the addition of 10 iguanas to the original 23 that traveled to Prickly Pear East, a population of over 300 healthy Lesser Antillean iguanas has emerged. The iguanas living on the islet and working to save their species make up one of just five Lesser Antillean iguana populations that are safe from “invasive alien iguanas,” according to Re:wild.

Non-native iguanas in the Caribbean, like the common green or striped-tailed iguana, grow faster and larger than the Lesser Antillean iguana, allowing them to outcompete the Lesser Antillean iguanas for resources.

“Thanks to the kind assistance from our friends in Dominica, as well as funding from the UK Government through Darwin Plus, the Lesser Antillean iguana is making a comeback in Anguilla. Prickly Pear East has become a beacon of hope for these gorgeous lizards — and proves that when we give native wildlife the chance, they know what to do!” Jenny Daltry, the Caribbean alliance director for Fauna & Flora and Re:wild, said in a statement.

The success of the lizard Love Island at Prickly Pear East has paved the way for a second reintroduction site for Lesser Antillean iguanas. This site, established by the Anguilla National Trust on mainland Anguilla with support from Fauna & Flora and Re:wild, is set to accept its first Lesser Antillean iguanas in 2026.

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“This is a love story not just of iguanas trying to re-establish their population, but of Anguilla’s people working to restore a part of our natural heritage. Beyond being important seed dispersers, Lesser Antillean iguanas are an important part of Anguillan culture,” Farah Mukhida, the executive director at the Anguilla National Trust, said.