Blue Iguana Tales

Blue Iguana Tales Volume 5, Number 2 – 2008 Fall Edition – Update on the Blue Iguana Recovery Program

A senseless slaughter

Actions on May 3rd 2008 that continue to defy comprehension lead to the violent deaths of seven of our iguanas. The news went worldwide within a matter of days and catapulted our shell-shocked

team unexpectedly and ill-prepared into the public glare.

A P R o g R A m o F t h E N A t I o N A l t R U s t F o R t h E C A y m A N I s l A N d s

We hope that there will be fireflies and glow-worms at night to guide you and butterflies in hedges and forests to greet you.

We hope that your dawns will have an orchestra of bird song and that the sound of their wings and the opalescence of their colouring will dazzle you.

We hope that there will still be the extraordinary varieties of creatures sharing the land of the planet with you to enchant you and enrich your lives as they have done for us.

We hope that you will be grateful for having been born into such a magical world.

Gerald Durrell - from a letter buried in a time capsule in 1988

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Matthias Pedro Sara Yellow Eldemire Jessica Digger

Volume 5, Number 2 – 2008 Fall Edition – Update on the Blue Iguana Recovery Program

Digger, Yellow, Sara, and Eldemire were found dead within the confines of the captive breeding facility by volunteers Stu, Gary, and Sheilagh on the morning of Sunday 4th May. Jessica was still fighting for life and Pedro was missing; portions of an intestine and its contents found only yards from his pen door left little doubt as to his status.

Jessica put up the most extraordinary fight for life given the extent of her internal injuries but, despite all possible efforts by the Department of Agriculture’s Dr. Colin Wakelin, she passed from this world on May 5th. With the discovery of Pedro’s remains on Thursday 8th and the death of beautiful Matthias on the 9th, our toll reached seven, amid circumstances plucked from the very stuff of nightmares.

John and Sandy Binns flew into our beleaguered midst on the 8th in order to join us for an intimate funeral on the 9th. On their arrival in Cayman after a long journey we had to inform then that the funeral had been postponed indefinitely. Instead, they took their usual places within our small team, united in grief and propelled by a determination that these animals’ tragic deaths would not go unnoticed.

Immediate and overwhelming support came both from within Cayman and from worldwide sources. Messages of anger, shock, sadness, and solace poured in, accompanied by offers of help and donations of money.

Both Billy and Archie were severely injured in the attacks, but received expert care from Dr Colin Wakelin, Dr. Elizabeth Broussard (Island Veterinary Services) and Dr Stephanie James (Wildlife Conservation Services, Bronx Zoo) who flew in at 24-hours notice to treat the boys. We are so relieved that both are looking stronger and healthier by the day, and are regaining their old vim and vigour. Billy gave his best buddy, warden John, an old style Billy bite recently just to prove it.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many, many individuals and companies for their tremendous support, and leave all our readers and supporters with these photographs of our beloved friends as we would like to remember them. They are gone but never forgotten.

Alex Bodden and Renee Brough at McGladrey & PullenALT ’s

Ambassadors of the Environment at the Ritz CarltonAndrew MoonAndrew Reid

Andy RoenickAtlantic Department Store

Bed RestaurantBen Maxwell

Britcay InsuranceBryan Hunter

Cable & WirelessCampbel ls Attorney At Law

Caribbean CreationsCaribbean Publishing

Carol Hay, Hay Electr ic LtdCarol ine Thorburn

Cayman CrittersCayman Distr ibutors

Cayman International SchoolCayman Is lands Department of Agriculture

Cayman Is lands Department of EnvironmentCayman Is lands National Museum

Cayman LenscraftersCayman Wildl i fe Rescue


Charl ie Adams and Art i factsCimboco and Breezes by the Bay

CITAConyers Dil l and Pearman

CouttsCrystal Hennings

CUCDavid and Janet Robinson

Dianne FleigerDick Christ iansen

DMSDon Fosters Dive

Dr El isabeth BroussardDr Steph James

Eden Rock Dive CentreEdward Solomon and Arabus

Ellen MarcherFidels Quiz Night

Fiona FosterFirst Baptist

Fosters SupermarketGeorge Dalsheimer

George Town Primary SchoolGrace Christ ian Academy

Greenlight ReHarbour House Marina

Hurleys SupermarketHurleys Group

International Repti le Conservat ion FoundationIsland Heritage

Is land Veterinary ServicesJack Rackham and crew

James Bovel lJennifer Hunter

Joel FreichJohn and Sandy Binns

Joyce DunbarKenrick Webster

Kevin PaschkeKim Pisano

KPMGKrys and Associates

Kurt Christ ianLeading Edge High School

Lee and Shei la AronfeldLorna Reid

Luigi MoxamMark Jackson

Maples and CalderMichael and Peggy Church

Michel le FarmerieMontessori School of Cayman

Nancy Easterbrook and DiveTechNorthside Primary

National Trust for the Cayman Is landsOcean Frontiers at Compass Point

OgiersPace School

Padraig Hoare

Thank You All

Note: though we have racked our brains and searched our records to make sure everyone who helped in the wake of the disaster is mentioned here, omissions may have occurred. We may not even be aware of everything that was done for the BIRP in that time, so many were the independent initiatives to help. The weeks after the death of the seven Blues strained everyone’s resources to the limit, and we can only humbly apologize to anyone whose name may have slipped through unrecorded in that chaotic time.

Warden John Marotta accepts a donation to the BIRP from a kindergarten class from the Cayman International School.

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Phoenix LtdPricewaterhouseCoopers

Rackhams by the Water front and the Bartenders Cultural SocietyRod McDowall and Red Sai l SportsRon Moser and The Machine Shop

Rotary SunriseSagicor GeneralSarah Agnolin

Sarah Harvey and Mike’s Ice LtdSel i ta Ebanks

Shei lagh and Roy RickardSimon Garnett

Sky ServicesSt Ignatius Catholic School

Standard Chartered LtdStefan Morgan

Steve BroadbentStuart Bostock and Cayman Crime Stoppers

Susan DasherTodd Paidel

The Reef ResortTheresa Foster and the Grand Caymanian

WalkersWendy Ebanks

Wildl i fe Conservat ion SocietyWil l iam & Yvonne Reid


S o m a n y q u e s t i o n s , s o f e w a n s w e r s

Since the senseless slaughter in May, everyone connected to the BIRP in any way has been hoping to hear news on the investigation. As months have passed with no arrests, fears that justice may never be

done are beginning to fester. Public concern is still very much alive.

It is natural that the staff and volunteers of the BIRP become the primary focus for people wanting news about the case, but we are unable to satisfy with answers of substance, because the investigation is totally out of our hands - and indeed, out of the public domain. Here we can only share what we do actually know.

The reward for information leading to the arrest and/or prosecution of the culprit(s), still stands, and has not been claimed. CI$ 16,000 has been given or pledged for this reward. While we believe there must be persons who could come forward with such information, we have no knowledge that this has yet occurred. If the reward remains unclaimed much longer, its time limit will pass and the opportunity for someone to win it will be lost.

The Royal Cayman Islands Police have stated the investigation remains open. The BIRP, of course, is not party to the details of their work, so we can not offer any insights here.

Since very soon after the slaughter, the QE II Botanic Park and the National Trust have been sharing the cost of a security guard to patrol the Park and the iguana facility during all hours that they are not staffed.

With detailed technical advice and assistance from Her Majesty’s Prison at Northward, we have purchased a security camera surveillance system which is about to be installed. When it is fully commissioned,

authorized staff will be able to monitor the entire captive facility, and certain other areas of the Park, at any time, and the camera outputs will be stored for long enough to review after any suspicious events.

We have been negotiating with fencing contractors and are ordering supplies to enclose the entire captive facility with high security perimeter fencing. This will inevitably entail separation of all areas of the captive facility, from view by the general public visiting the QE II Botanic Park. We will however continue to offer guided tours inside the secure facility.

These security measures carry a hefty price tag. They are possible only because of the generous donations from so many, that came to us in the wake of the atrocity.

Crew from CUC install a pole at the Captive Facility, for an area surveillance camera.


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E v e n t s f o r t h e B l u e s

The past few months have been very event-full!

In March 2008, Todd Paidel of Rackhams Waterfront decided to harness the skills and services of the many bar staff on the island and established the Bar Tenders Cultural Society. The group meets monthly and has a guest speaker at each event. We were honoured to be invited to address the group at the inaugural meeting. In June we were invited to speak again, and John Marotta filled the group in on what was happening at the facility and the status of the investigation. Proceeds from the sales of shirts and caps were donated to the programme.

On June 22nd, Calico Jack’s held a snowball competition to benefit the iguanas. There is nothing quite so unlikely as a snowball fight on a Caribbean beach, but it happened amidst much hilarity, aided and abetted by a few cold ones. Who won or lost was really not of much consequence, but word to the wise — beach wear and beanie hats do not afford much protection from a careful aim!

Cayman Distributors’ Kevin Paschke addresses the Bar Tenders Cultural Society, with Blue Iguana Warden John Marotta.

Steady, aim, fire - Snowballs fly on Grand Cayman.

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On June 28th, we had a booth at Cimboco Restaurant’s Kids Fun Day. Attendance was good despite blistering heat and still air. We did face painting and bead tagging and colouring in – the kids enjoyed it too! Our thanks go especially to our stalwart volunteers, with honourable mention to Sheilagh Rickard who twice braved the sauna-like conditions of the Blue Iguana suit and was definitely the star attraction of the day!

BIRP stand.

Got the Blues. Stu and Giles safety testing crayons - honestly!

Sheilagh Rickard is HOT!

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On July 11th, a jazz concert and art auction were held to raise funds jointly for the BIRP and for the family of the late Jack Oplustil who, very sadly, had succumbed to cancer just a few weeks previously. The evening was organized by Edward Solomon, a close friend of the family. We felt very honoured to be invited to share an evening held in memory of Jack who, by all accounts, was an incredibly wonderful man. The jazz was fabulous, the art was striking, and the auction attracted many eager participants. Our thanks to the artists involved, and particularly to Randy Cholette who donated a beautiful piece for auction. HE Governor Jack said a few words, and the whole evening went swingingly!

On August 3rd, a cocktail competition was held and the island’s foremost mixologists vied to create the Official Blue Iguana Cocktail as endorsed by King Blue himself. Sponsored and largely organized by Kevin Paschke at Cayman Distributors, the event proved to be great fun. Each contestant created his or her drink in front of the crowd. They made two, one for the judges panel and one to be auctioned, the most expensive selling for a whacking $475 (CI!). A great variety of concoctions were produced, served in all sorts of different shapes of glasses, and with many elaborate flourishes such as hibiscus flowers and red cherries – clearly much thought, creativity and experimentation had gone into their genesis!

The competition was particularly hard to judge, but the winner was Stefan Morgan of Rackhams who created a delicious, easy-to-make cocktail in a very striking shade of blue! The recipe for “Stefan’s Blue Iguana” is a trade secret… the base will be premixed and retailed to bars by Cayman Distributors, with all profits going

to the Blues. Stefan gets to name a baby iguana and his cocktail will be the Official Blue Iguana Cocktail of 2008/2009. For those of you keen to compete next year, get thinking and mixing now! Huge thanks to Kevin at Cayman Distributors for all the work involved in creating such a fantastic event; thanks also to Chambers for providing a running commentary and being a highly successful auctioneer; to Trish Cain and her wonderful staff at Bed Restaurant for hosting the event; and to Ben Maxwell of CayRock who provides us with essential support on the airwaves and is such a great friend and ambassador for the programme.

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H a t c h l i n g s b y t h e H u n d r e d

2008 is proving to be an unusual but extraordinarily abundant year for little iguanas. Presaged by Deborah, who was underground laying when her mate

Billy was attacked in early May, nesting peaked a whole month early this year. We don’t know why. The Sister Isles Rock Iguanas in Little Cayman (Cyclura nubila caymanensis) did the same, so some factor operating on a wider scale than one island, must have been at work.

In the profound hope that we may be about to receive a grant of land for a new protected area, we have decided to captive rear as many hatchlings as we can get our hands on! This has stretched our resources to the absolute maximum. Hours and hours were spent in the blistering heat searching for eggs, and our incubators were jam-packed. With all these babies hatching as we write, and in need of housing at the park, we have had to pull all our cages out of storage and assemble and furnish them. We’re grateful to Vigoro Nursery here in Grand Cayman who charged us practically nothing for well over one hundred plant pot trays – which make perfect baby iguana food dishes!

Yesterday, much to our excitement, we discovered twins amongst our number. Their mother is BBB and their father is probably Gorgeous George. One of the twins is dangerously thin and really tiny, but seems vital and lively so far. This is our second set of twins produced in captivity; the first memorable pair hatched during hurricane Ivan in 2004.

We have been very blessed in these last few hectic months with some truly wonderful volunteers. A big thanks to all who have tirelessly dug nests, assembled cages, and who come week after week to feed and attend to

Volunteers Zac Chillag, Derek Dunlop, and Nick Marotta.

BBB twins.

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RW. Err... excuse me, can you keep the noise down please, I’m nesting.

the Blues. John Marotta has been our lone warden throughout all this hectic time and he has, as always, been stalwart and amazing. However, we are thrilled to be able to announce that he has been joined by long term volunteer Cameron Richardson, who took up his post as the second warden on August 14th.

Stu Petch with Biter’s nest - an easy one!

Kirsten Werner searches for Deborah’s nets.

Cameron and Zarco.©

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Luiza Pasos and Zarco.

RW caught red lipped from eating Smokewood berries. RpB

Biter retreats from the noon sun into her cement block fortress.

As for the free roaming Blues, the captive facility seems to be a hot bed of activity. Zarco and Mad Max Too are still very prominent, although less pugilistic, as we begin to pass out of the peak of mating season. Interestingly, the girls are the ones really making their presence known around the pens. In the past few years, Red-Pale Blue has made her way down from the north west woodland trail and is now a fixture at the facility; Red-White can almost always be found at the first hut moving east but she also comes by the pens for a visit; and Orange-Red-Orange can often be found mooching around the old facility. Add these three to good old-timers Biter and Yellow-Blue, and we’re developing quite the female presence — all the better to keep John and Cam in check!

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Born in or around the early 1980’s, if not earlier, Vivienne must have hatched somewhere in the East End of the island and is undoubtedly one of the last survivors of the original wild population of

‘blue dragons’ that were once so abundant on Grand Cayman. She appeared as if from nowhere, and was eventually captured at the end of April 2008. We had been tracking her movements in the Spotters Bay area of the Queen’s Highway when she suddenly disappeared. Fearing the worst, we were thrilled when an animal, clearly identifiable as the Spotters Bay female by comparing head scales in photographs, was captured and brought to us. She had walked some three and a half miles to the monument at the other end of the highway, probably in a futile search for a mate. Our thanks to Douglas Watler of Bodden Town for bringing her safely to us, out of the way of dangerous fast-moving road traffic.

Being a bit of a star, she was quickly sponsored and named, she is a striking animal with particularly exaggerated red eyes. She is almost certainly over twenty years old, and may be the oldest animal that we have in the breeding programme. Whereas most females captured in the wild and brought to the breeding facility are extremely nervous, Vivienne seems to have taken her recent transition very much in stride, perhaps fitting for an older, wiser lady. She is a potential founder, and as such extremely important to the programme and to the future of her species.

With the recent killings bringing the programme to the forefront of everyone’s minds we’ve had a great rush in sponsorships. Practically all of our captive males are now sponsored, but we still have girls and youngsters available, and there are lots of high profile Blues roaming free in the Park, that yearn for that warm glowing feeling that only a sponsor can provide! For an annual fee of $500 CI for adults and $250 for babies you will be sent a photographic portrait, and certificate and updates throughout the year as to the progress of your iguana. For $1,000 CI you can name an iguana for life.

Think of Billy and Deborah’s two little ones, each an emblem of nature’s refusal to be beaten, or of BBB mother of the new twins, or even Tootsie, king of the park — they all need sponsoring!

For further details on animals available for sponsorship please contact:

[email protected]

Lonely Blue Comes in from the Wild©

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A generous grant from local reinsurance company Greenlight Re is enabling us to upgrade the Blue Iguana captive facility in the QE II Botanic Park to a higher standard. The two rainwater catchment tanks installed by the facility shed (reported in the last issue of BITs), are now gathering and storing abundant summer rainwater from the shed’s roof. A new pump hut, now roofed with three solar photovoltaic panels, holds an expanded battery bank and water pump so the facility now has a sustainable 12V electrical supply, and its own independent water supply. The water supply is convenient and better for the iguanas (we no longer have to worry about plant fertilizer residues in water lines shared with the Park’s plant nursery), is free, apart from any maintenance costs on the equipment and, with care, it may be very quick to return to operation after a hurricane. The upgraded 12V electrical supply also continues to run the solar refrigerator housed in the shed.

Not only is Sheilagh Rickard an amazing and constant local volunteer – you will find her

working away feeding the animals every Sunday – she also managed to convince her husband to fund the first run of our hugely successful Blue Iguana wrist bands. These sold like hot cakes and we have subsequently ordered many more. What a star she is!

In response to the remarkable kindnesses shown to us after the deaths of the iguanas, we decided to produce a shirt commemorating Digger, Sara, Eldemire, Matthias, Yellow, Jessica and Pedro. In the first instance, the shirts were designed to be a gift from the programme to those who stepped forward to assist in many remarkable ways; in the second we have produced a limited extra number for sale. These are currently available from BIRP staff, from the Lobster Pot Dive Centre, and other locations to be announced.

Wristbands and T-Shirts

Power from the Sun, Water from the Sky

Team Blue volunteer Luiza Pasos admires a Blue hatchling. She’s wearing one ot the Blue Iguana wrist bands.

The special T-Shirt commemorating the fallen Seven; Get yours before the supply runs out!

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In the wake of the slaughter of seven Blues in May, Corporate Electrical Services offered also to put in a mains electricity supply for occasional use of power tools etc., and so that we have dual power options to ensure constant operation of new security systems. With unhesitating cooperation from planning and utility authorities and almost $6,000 worth of free services from Corporate Electric, this second supply went live in mid-August.

While the physical behind-the-scenes development was ongoing, John Binns at IRCF was working hard on design and layout of a major series of interpretive signs for the public areas of the captive facility. Manufactured by Fossil Graphics, and again paid for from the Greenlight Re grant, these beautiful, full colour signs are incredibly durable and even graffiti-proof. At the end of July, a work party from Goldman Sachs came to help us start mounting the signs. They had to give the pen walls a new lick of paint before starting the slow, careful work of mounting the panels. Step-by-step as you move around the facility, the signs tell the story of the Blue Iguanas and our bid to save them

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Pump house under construction. The frame on top now supports a solar photovoltaic array.

Solar photovoltaic array and water tanks.

A sampling of over sixty signs created for the facility!


We’ve simplified arrangements for anyone wishing to take a guided tour of the Blue Iguanas in the QE II Botanic Park – all Blue Iguana tour fees are now taken at the Park entrance ticket booth.

There is no need to book in advance!

Our established Blue Iguana Safari is available Mondays through Saturdays, starting at 11am. It’s a great way to meet some wonderful Blue Iguana characters and hear all about their soap opera lives, get close-up photos or videos, and learn about our efforts to save this charismatic giant blue reptile. The Safari runs to about one-and-a-half hours, fully guided by one of our Blue Iguana Wardens or an experienced Team Blue volunteer. Your guide will show you around the Park’s nature-filled woodland trail and scenic lakeside, and take you behind the scenes into the Blue Iguana captive breeding and head-starting facility.

The tour involves just under a mile of gentle walking on easy but sometimes uneven surfaces. Wear comfortable shoes for walking. Wheelchair and disabled access are not available for this tour.

You will need to arrive at the Park in advance of the 11am tour start time, any day of the week except Sundays. The Park’s ticket booth will take your payment and alert us to be ready to welcome you at the Park’s visitor centre. The tour fee includes the entrance fee to the entire Botanic Park, so you can enter early or stay on after your guided tour, if you like. Just be sure to be at the visitor centre by 11am to meet your guide!

Pricing:CI$24 / US$30 for adults, CI$16 / US$20 for children twelve years and under, free for young children in strollers. As always, net proceeds go to help save the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana!

Things to bear in mind when you come to join a Blue Iguana Safari – Blue Iguanas like their weather hot, so bring sunscreen, a bottle of water, a hat, anything you might need to protect yourself from the sun. Cold drinks are also available for purchase at the Park’s visitor centre. Rain is always a possibility, especially in the summer, and may occasionally cause delays or variations in the tour. Mosquitoes are not usually a problem at this time of day, but if you are very sensitive to bites, then bring your bug spray just in case.

New Blue Iguana Tour Arrangments

Blue Iguana Tales Written by Samantha Hicks, BIRP Editors: AJ Gutman, IRCF and Fred Burton, BIRP Layout and Design: John Binns, IRCF Website: Sandra Binns, IRCF www.IRCF.org

P l e a s e S u p p o r t t h e B l u e sDirect financial assistance to the Blue Iguana Recovery Program can me made to the “Blue Iguana Conservation Fund” at PO Box 10308, Grand Cayman KY1-1003, Cayman Islands. This is an audited National Trust account restricted to the Blue Iguana Recovery Program.

In the US, tax-deductible contributions can be made through: www.BlueIguana.ky

A program of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, with local and international partners.


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