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Iguanas?!

Author: Rob Wilson (---.ded.swbell.net)
Date: 03-17-08 13:09

are those iguanas from the picture for real?!

i'm so excited to come visit in May!!

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Michael (---.nycmny.east.verizon.net)
Date: 03-17-08 16:42

which picture?

Enjoy Culebra!

Michael

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Arroz (12.206.171.---)
Date: 03-17-08 20:09

I don't know about "the picture" but the iguanas are sure "for real." They are an exotic with no natural predators. We couldn't believe how many there were. It is not clear if they are endangering the environment.

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-18-08 14:28

Hola! Yes these iguanas are" for real". LOL!!! They are called Mona Ground Iguanas and they are endemic to Mona Island but, can also be found throughout the island including Culebra. They are capable of reaching 1.22 meters in length. Even though they are in an endangered status as of now, they have overpopulated certain areas such as the runway area at Luis Munoz Marin Airport in Isla Verde. It was so bad one day, the airport had to shut down while they removed the iguanas from the runway so planes could land and take off!!! LOL!!! They are inoffensive, if they see you they will scurry away but be careful, their tail can pack a powerful whip. They are not consumed in PR as they are in Jamaica. I wouldn't want to eat one anyway, meat must be tough! If you see one just enjoy what you are viewing and take a picture! Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Arroz (12.206.171.---)
Date: 03-18-08 15:41

Thanks for that information. I guess I had been misinformed last time we were in Culbra.

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-18-08 18:08

Trust me - they don't taste like chicken. :) They are also consumed in Bonaire.

Happy Diving!
Debbie

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Arroz (12.206.171.---)
Date: 03-18-08 18:38

Darn, they looked so meaty, I was tempted. But if they don't taste like chicken, what do they taste like . . . rattlesnake?

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-18-08 18:42

It's too hard to describe. While diving in Bonaire, a local gave us a recommendation for an off-the-beaten-path joint - off a dirt road, and located in a shack. The speciality was iguana stew. It turned out to be a stewed iguana, bones and all. It had to be picked over and picked through, and it tasted a bit fishy (and I don't like fish). It didn't come with a side - no rice, no beans, so I had to make do with what I was served. I think Lewis was smart enough to order a normal meal.

Happy Diving!
Debbie

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-18-08 22:09

Taste what they may, don't become an Andrew Zimmerman, like on the Travel Channel, in search of exotic food finds. I wouldn't want to find out that one of you are locked up because you decided to go on a hunting expedition for an endangered morsel! LOL! Happy Travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-19-08 08:23

It doesn't appear that they are endangered. I researched iguanas found in Puerto Rico (native and introduced) and came up with this: <http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/search.php?freetext=iguana&modifier=phrase&criteria=wholedb&taxa_species=1&redlistCategory%5B%5D=all&country%5B%5D=PR&cty_default=1&cty_intro=1&cty_uncert=1&cty_vagrant=1&aquatic%5B%5D=all&aqu_default=1®ions%5B%5D=all®_default=1&habitats%5B%5D=all&threats%5B%5D=all&redlistAssessyear%5B%5D=all&growths%5B%5D=all>

Likewise, I didn't find any in Bonaire listed as endangered, so I don't feel so guilty about tasting it. :)

<http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/search.php?freetext=iguana&modifier=phrase&criteria=wholedb&taxa_species=1&redlistCategory%5B%5D=all&country%5B%5D=all&cty_default=1&aquatic%5B%5D=all&aqu_default=1®ions%5B%5D=2®_default=1®_intro=1®_uncert=1®_vagrant=1&habitats%5B%5D=all&threats%5B%5D=all&redlistAssessyear%5B%5D=all&growths%5B%5D=all>

Happy Diving!
Debbie

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Arroz (12.206.171.---)
Date: 03-19-08 09:07

I'm getting a bit confused. When I Google <Iguanas Puerto Rico> I find listing for Mona iguanas and for Green iguanas. One place talks about the green iguanas being endangered and on the runway at the airport. Other sites talk about the Mona iguana. Wikopedia talks about the Mona Iguana being endangered because of loss of habitat. Are the two the same? Neither one is listed on the IUNC list of threatened species.

When I look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_amphibians_and_reptiles_of_Puerto_Rico I find that the Mona Ameiva and the Mona Anole only lives on Mona and are not present on Culebra. Neither of these looks like the iguanas on Culebra. On the other hand, the Green Iguana sure does look like the one's I've seen. The Green Iguana is not endangered. Indeed, they are considered an invasive species in Southern Florida.

Am I confused - yes.

And none of the sites say what they taste like, only Debbie knows.

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-19-08 12:04

Green iguanas also called Giant Anole (English), Lagarto Verde o Chipojo (Spanish) or Anolis cuvieri (scientific name) are the smaller kind, about 5 inches long. These are on the endangered list too and belong to Culebra. The big one you see in Culebra and other parts of the island is called Mona Ground Iguana, Cyclura stejnegeri (scientific name). This iguana is currently listed as threatened as of March, 1978 but on other lists it appears as endangered. A recovery program was put in place in 1984 and in my opinion, they forgot about it because these giant lizards are everywhere. They have become a nuisance around the airport area because there are in an ideal habitat: no predators, good food (many green grasses), great weather, kind of swamp like in some areas. The recovery program was for Mona island where they were low in numbers but, thanks to humans they also populated the mainland; some people keep them as pets then let them go and then they overpopulate some areas. You can go on the US Fish and Wildlife Service website and Puerto Rico is under Region 4, Southeast Region. Please don't eat these, go to El Batey and have a hamburger or a plate of rice and beans. LOL!!! Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-19-08 12:18

The complete scientific name for the Mona island iguana is Cyclura Cornuta Stejnegeri - Mona Island Rhinoceros Iguana. Hope I'm not boring you guys, I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to PR science. Didn't get that diploma at the UPR for nothing. Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-19-08 17:50

You're not boring me. I'm enjoying the education!

Happy Diving!
Debbie

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Arroz (12.206.171.---)
Date: 03-19-08 17:55

You are not boring me at all. The Wikopedia site shows the Cyclura Cornuta Stejnegeri as only being on Mona. Clearly, they are wrong. (And I wasn't seriously suggesting eating them.) Another question, why are they called "Ground Iguanas" when I see them in trees?

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-19-08 23:14

Great observation! If you look at all iguanas, they are very agile little creatures. Just because the Mona Island Iguana is big, it doesn't impede their mobility. They are very good climbers, look at their feet. They grip with their toes and nails to get over fences and can just about get anywhere. Did you know, they are very good swimmers. When their surroundings are flooded, they leap into the waters and swim to get to better land. I've seen them. Animals evolve in order to survive, this one sure did. They like to climb trees to get away from the heat. Trees provide them with a way to cool off and they can eat the insects found on them, like ants. That's why we Puertorricans also call them "gallina de palo" which translates, tree chicken. In Puerto Rico, chickens that roam around free leap up into the trees to sleep at night. I'm sure glad you have decided not to make him part of your culinary experience while on the island! Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: MJ (---.prtc.net)
Date: 03-20-08 16:15

Here is some info from someone much better educated on the subject than myself. I thought it was worth passing along.

"The iguanas that
are common here are Iguana iguana, common name is
Green Iguana or Green Tree Iguana. They are not
protected, they are invasive exotics that can cause a
problem when they overpopulate as they can eat bird
eggs and disturb other creatures that use the same
habitat. A few people started raising them as pets
and now they are everywhere here.

Someone called them green anole and Anolis cuvieri.
That is the Culebra Giant Anole that is listed as
Endangered and has not been documented here since the
1930's. Its habitat is the Mt Resaca area.

The Mona Iguana is not here, it is on Mona Island."

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: MJ (---.prtc.net)
Date: 03-20-08 16:23

Oops, the Culebra Giant Anole is Anolis roosevelti,
not cuvieri

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-20-08 16:41

I think there might be some confusion here. The Giant anole or Anolis cuvieri is a small iguana about 5 inches long. It is on the endangered list. The Mona Ground Iguana, Cyclura stejnegeri also known as Mona Island Rhinoceros Iguana is currently listed as threatened. Besides being a resident of Mona island, it has made Culebra and the mainland of Puerto Rico part of its' habitat. Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Michael (---.nycmny.east.verizon.net)
Date: 03-20-08 18:31

Does anybody here speak Japanese? I found a color photograph of the Culebra Anolis (and it looks like the b/w pics from the 30s):

at http://baike.baidu.com/history/id=120665

question is, is this the real thing and was it taken on Culebra?

Enjoy Culebra!

Michael

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-21-08 00:12

It's not Japanese, it's Chinese, in fact, baidu is a popular Chinese search engine and baike is like Wikipedia, an encyclopedia. It looks like the Anolis roosevelti. That's what the pic says but you can't tell for sure.
Sorry everyone, got ahead of myself, the A. cuvieri is the lizard that is still alive and found in many places around the island and the A. roosevelti is the one that is on the US Fish and Wildlife endangered list, although if you go to the US Forestry Service they have claimed that it is extinct. To tell you the truth, these little lizards are everywhere and many of them are green so they're easily confused. There are dozens of anole lizards, some brown, gray, green, tan. I played with so many who knows I may have had an A. roosevelti in my hands as I tossed it down a classmate's shirt. LOL!!! What an interesting discussion about lizards. Help protect Puerto Rico's wildlife. Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: MJ (---.prtc.net)
Date: 03-22-08 06:41

This is the word from the leader of the DNER study group for the
Mona Ground Iguana, Carlos Diez, a biologist with
PRDNER:

The Mona Island Iguana is only
> found
> > on Mona Island. The iguana of culebra is the green
> > iguana (Iguana iguana). It is still debatable if
> it
> > was introduced or came by itself, but it is
> > considered a pest, therefore it is allow to be
> > destroyed.
> >
> > The only species with the genus Cyclura (same
> genus
> > as Mona Island Rock Iguana) found in Puerto rico,
> > was C. pinguis, which is now extinct in mainland
> and
> > only found in Anegada.
> >
> > I hope this helps...

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Arroz (12.206.171.---)
Date: 03-22-08 22:22

Jeannie G3: I don't wish to seem rude, but I would like to know how come you are so sure that the lizards on Culebra are the Mona Island Iguanas (Cyclura cornuta stejnegeri).

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.mia.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-23-08 00:46

You are not, Abe in fact, you made me realize that I have committed an error in research and that is to know something, find out more info, get exited about this data, assume and make conclusions. As my professors would say, find out something, check it twice and then check it again and again, etc., until you are positively sure and it is beyond reasonable doubt, an absolute truth. And then sometimes it might not be entirely true. Look at what we know about dinosaurs. That data is changing everyday as well as what we know about the beginnings of man, the earth, and other things. The discussion about iguanas however, has been very enlightening and has made me try to find out more and more info. I have been able to find awesome pics of the iguana at Mona, Cyclura cornuta stejnegeri and the iguana we see in Culebra and other parts of the island, which is also called Gallina de palo, Igauna verde, or Iguana iguana. You can find these pics on the website of the Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (DRNA) of Puerto Rico: www.drna.gobierno.pr . To get to the pics click on BIBLIOTECA, then BANCO DE FOTOS BIBLIOTECA. There are about 10 pages of pics but, the ones I'd like you to see are of the Anolis cuvieri, Page 1, this is the small 5 inch iguana that is from Culebra. On Page 5, there are 2 pics of the Gallina de palo (also called Iguana verde and also called Iguana iguana). On that same page, there are 4 pics of the Iguana de Mona, Cyclura stejnegeri. There is a difference between the one from Mona and the Gallina de palo: their coloring, the spikes along the back, one has distinct rings along the body. The one from Mona has horns on his nose like a rhinoceros, and those differences are only a few. These are remarkable photos! Carlos Diaz did write a paper titled "La iguana de Mona". Maybe MJ could contact him again for a copy?? It sure would provide valuable info. I'm trying to contact someone from the Refugio in Culebra but they are closed until Monday. Maybe a local can get more info from them?? This has been very interesting and I know, the more we know, the more we can contribute towards the conservation of these and our planet. Thank you all for being a part of the conservation! Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: MJ (---.prtc.net)
Date: 03-23-08 17:26

And now...what about those pesky chubacabras?

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 03-24-08 11:40

MJ, as we puertorriquenos say " esos son otros cinco pesos". I don't know anyone who's had an encounter with that nor have I seen it; I don't hope to either. A favor to ask, can we get a copy of Carlos Diaz paper on the iguana: "La iguana de Mona". ?? Do you think he knows who Thomas A. Wiewandt is ? He also wrote a paper on the iguana titled: "La gran iguana de Mona", maybe he can get it for us as well. Gracias! Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 04-01-08 20:37

There is a great article about the Iguana iguana or Green iguana in today's edition of "EL NUEVO DIA". This is the same one that lives in Culebra and the rest of mainland PR. The article states that they have become a plague and are a nuisance in many ways. They are destroying mangroves, gardens and have paralyzed the runway at the Luis Munoz Marin airport. Two scientists from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras (my Alma Mater) have suggested that the iguana should be incorporated into the Puertorrican diet. Imagine eating iguana on a stick form the ladies that cook at the Flamenco Beach entrance or iguana fricase at Susie's or iguana hamburger at El Batey with a side of tostones of course. The recipes are endless, YUM, YUM! LOL!!! Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 04-01-08 22:19

We just need to invite some of those chefs up from Bonaire to show us how to do it. :>)

Happy Diving!
Debbie

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Re: Iguanas?!

Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 04-02-08 11:22

We can also invite the scientists/cooks Carlos J. Rivera y Juan D. Daza from the UPR that cooked these delicacies and had a nice party to serve them. Maybe they could be at a kiosk at the next regatta, maybe next to the Heineken kiosk?? LOL!!! Happy travels! J

supergarcia3

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