Abstract for presentation at Biodiversity Extinction Crisis Conference - A Pacific Response

Two species of iguanas occur in the South Pacific: the widely distributed banded iguana (Brachylophus fasciatus) in Fiji and Tonga, and the larger Fijian crested iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) which is more restricted in its distribution. Population estimates are available for only a single island population of each species, and suggest that in optimal forest habitat densities may exceed 200 iguanas per hectare. However on most islands where iguanas still occur, sightings are rare or extremely uncommon. Anecdotal reports and limited data from repeated field surveys suggest that all but two island populations of the Fijian crested iguana are in rapid decline. For the banded iguana, even basic data such as current presence / absence is unavailable for most islands where there are historical records.
The Pacific iguanas are no longer hunted, eaten or traded, and their declining status is due to the combination of ongoing habitat loss and degradation from forest clearing, burning and goat grazing, and the continuing spread of exotic predators such as cats, mongooses, and perhaps rodents. In Fiji, forest degradation is continuing even on uninhabited islands. Long-term survival of the Pacific iguanas will ultimately depend on establishing and maintaining populations on several uninhabited islands that are free of introduced predators, goats and frequent fires. This talk will outline the prehistoric extinctions of Pacific iguanas, their current distribution and continuing decline, and explore future conservation options that are acceptable to developing countries with rapidly increasing human populations.