Anegada Ground Iguana

Cyclura pinguis

The Anegada ground iguana (Cyclura pinguis), also called the Anegada rock iguana, is a large rock iguana native to Anegada in the British Virgin Islands, with related reintroduced or managed populations on nearby islands. It is a stout, ground-living herbivore of dry scrub, sandy soils, limestone, and coastal vegetation. Adults have powerful jaws, a thick tail, and the high-crested Cyclura profile, while young iguanas are especially vulnerable to cats and other introduced predators.

Management of this critically endangered iguana is unusually hands-on. Head-start programs collect or protect hatchlings, raise them until they are large enough to have a better chance against predators, and release them into monitored habitat. Zoos and conservation facilities may hold assurance animals, but private keeping is generally restricted and should not be confused with ordinary green iguana ownership. Captive care requires space, heat, ultraviolet exposure, browse and leafy diets, and nesting substrate, along with careful records to avoid mixing animals from different conservation lines.