A great project by the National Trust of Fiji which is adding to global biodiversity on the small island of Monuriki with support from the international community.
Re-introduction of Fiji Crested Iguanas
Classified as Critically endangered, on the IUCN Red List, the Fiji crested iguana – known to scientists as
Brachylophus vitiensis – are only known from a few Fijian islands including: Yadua Taba, Macuata, and Monuriki,
and nowhere else on Earth.
The land area of Monuriki is only 40 hectares, and yet, somehow, it is home to crested iguanas— whose ancestral origins are still a mystery to scientists. They look like neon-colored dragons with their bright green bodies and dorsal
crests.
They are camouflaged to hide in Fiji’s forests. Our objective was to work with the traditional landowners (Mataqali
Vunaivi of Yanuya Village) and key stakeholders to protect and restore the tiny island of Monuriki, home to these endangered species.