Fauna of the Cayman Islands

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Blue iguana Blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi) male.JPG
Blue iguana

The Fauna of the Cayman Islands include species unique to the islands, including the blue iguana, also known as the Grand Cayman iguana (Cyclura lewisi) . [1]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cayman Islands</span> British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean

The CaymanIslands is a self-governing British Overseas Territory, and the largest by population. The 264-square-kilometre (102-square-mile) territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located south of Cuba and north-east of Honduras, between Jamaica and Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. The capital city is George Town on Grand Cayman, which is the most populous of the three islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caribbean Sea</span> Sea of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by North, Central and South America

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles starting with Cuba, to the east by the Lesser Antilles, and to the south by the northern coast of South America. The Gulf of Mexico lies to the northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Cayman</span> Island in the Caribbean

Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the territory's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles (121 km) southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles (145 km) southwest of Cayman Brac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iguanidae</span> Family of lizards

The Iguanidae is a family of lizards composed of the iguanas, chuckwallas, and their prehistoric relatives, including the widespread green iguana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Cayman</span> One of three Islands that make up the Cayman Islands

Little Cayman is one of three Islands that make up the Cayman Islands. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 60 miles (96 km) northeast of East End, Grand Cayman and five miles (8 km) west of West End, Cayman Brac. Little Cayman is the least populous island of the three, with a permanent population of about 160 (2021) including seasonal residents/homeowners. The majority of the population are expatriate workers from Jamaica, the Philippines, and Honduras and from other Latin American countries as well as Canada, the USA, India, Australia, Scotland, England, and South Africa. There are a handful of local Caymanians estimated as fewer than 20. It is about 10 miles (16 km) long with an average width of 1 mile (1600 m) and most of the island is undeveloped. Almost the entire island is at sea level. The highest elevation is about 40 feet. The rainy season, which consists of mostly light showers, occurs in Mid-April until June and again in mid-September to mid-October. There will be occasional quick rain showers in the early morning hours. The coolest months are from End of November until Mid March as the cold fronts coming in from the North which the temperature can drop into the low'70s. The Hottest and dryest months are in Summer starting mid-June to mid-September with temperatures between the mid-80s and high 90s. There are no large or predatory or venomous animals that pose a threat to humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the Cayman Islands</span> National flag

The flag of the Cayman Islands consists of a Blue Ensign defaced with the British overseas territory's coat of arms. Adopted in 1959 to supplement the Union Jack and to replace the flag of the Colony of Jamaica, it has been the flag of the Cayman Islands since the territory was granted self-government that year. The design of the present flag entailed removing the white disc and outlining the coat of arms with a white trim, although the previous version is often used in an official capacity. The Cayman Islands' flag is similar to the flags of eight other British Overseas Territories, which are also Blue Ensigns with their respective coats of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cayman Brac</span> Caribbean island, part of the Cayman Islands

Cayman Brac is an island that is part of the Cayman Islands. It lies in the Caribbean Sea about 145 km (90 mi) north-east of Grand Cayman and 8 km (5.0 mi) east of Little Cayman. It is about 19 km (12 mi) long, with an average width of 2 km (1.2 mi). Its terrain is the most prominent of the three Cayman Islands due to "The Bluff", a limestone outcrop that rises steadily along the length of the island up to 43 m (141 ft) above sea level at the eastern end. The island is named after this prominent feature, as "brac" is a Gaelic name for a bluff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser Antillean iguana</span> Species of reptile

The Lesser Antillean iguana is a large arboreal lizard endemic to the Lesser Antilles. It is one of three species of lizard of the genus Iguana and is in severe decline due to habitat destruction, introduced feral predators, hunting, and hybridization with its introduced sister species, the green iguana. Successful captive breeding of this species has been limited to only two instances, as most captive-laid eggs tend to be infertile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue iguana</span> Species of reptile

The blue iguana, also known as the Grand Cayman ground iguana, Grand Cayman blue iguana or Cayman Island rock iguana, is an endangered species of lizard which is endemic to the island of Grand Cayman. It was previously considered to be a subspecies of the Cuban iguana, Cyclura nubila, but in a 2004 article Frederic J. Burton reclassified it as a separate species because according to him the genetic differences discovered four years earlier between the different C. nubila populations warranted this interpretation. The blue iguana is one of the longest-living species of lizard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mona ground iguana</span> Species of Cyclura closely related to the rhinoceros iguana

The Mona ground iguana is a critically endangered species of rock iguana, endemic to Mona Island, Puerto Rico. It is one of the island nation's few large land animals, and it is the largest endemic terrestrial lizard in the country, and one of the biggest rock iguanas within the Antilles. It was previously considered a subspecies of the rhinoceros iguana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Bahamian rock iguana</span> Species of lizard

The northern Bahamian rock iguana is a species of lizard of the genus Cyclura that is found on Andros Island and the Exuma islands in the Bahamas. Its status on the IUCN Red List is vulnerable, with a wild population of less than 5,000 animals.

<i>Cyclura nubila</i> Species of reptile

The Cuban rock iguana, also known as the Cuban ground iguana or Cuban iguana, is a species of lizard of the iguana family. It is the second largest of the West Indian rock iguanas, one of the most endangered groups of lizards. A herbivorous species with a thick tail and spiked jowls, it is one of the largest lizards in the Caribbean.

<i>Cyclura nubila caymanensis</i> Subspecies of lizard

Cyclura nubila caymanensis, the Lesser Caymans iguana, Cayman Brac iguana, Cayman Island brown iguana or Sister Isles iguana, is a critically endangered subspecies of the Cuban iguana. It is native to two islands to the south of Cuba: Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are also known as the Sister Isles due to their similar shapes and close proximity to each other. The population of this subspecies has been impacted by habitat encroachment by human development and is likely being destroyed due to predation by cats, the population on Cayman Brac has remained particularly small for decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby union in the Cayman Islands</span>

Rugby union is a growing sport in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands national rugby union team is ranked 53rd in the world, with 2,256 registered players.

<i>Cyclura</i> Genus of lizards

Cyclura is a genus of lizards in the family Iguanidae. Member species of this genus are commonly known as "cycluras" and only occur on islands in the West Indies. Rock iguanas have a high degree of endemism, with a single species or subspecies originating on an individual island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park</span> Non-profit outdoor garden

Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is a non-profit outdoor garden and wildlife facility located in the North Side District of Grand Cayman Island in the British West Indies. The park is owned jointly by the Cayman Islands Government and the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, a group dedicated to preserving natural environments and places of historic significance in the Cayman Islands. Opened in 1994 with only the Woodland Trail completed, the park now also contains the Floral Colour Garden, a Cayman Heritage Garden, a lake, an orchid boardwalk exhibit, and a Blue Iguana Habitat. Also inside the park is a gift shop and a visitor's interpretive center, the starting point from which visitors can enter the Woodland Trail and other garden grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green iguana</span> Species of reptile

The green iguana, also known as the American iguana or the common green iguana, is a large, arboreal, mostly herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana. Usually, this animal is simply called the iguana. The green iguana ranges over a large geographic area; it is native from southern Brazil and Paraguay as far north as Mexico.

The blue iguana is a lizard species native to Grand Cayman.

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Daniel's Gotta Die is a 2022 Canadian comedy thriller film directed by Jeremy LaLonde and written by Matthew Dressel. The film stars Joel David Moore, Jason Jones, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Carly Chaikin, Chantel Riley, Iggy Pop, and Bob Saget. It is Saget's final film before his death.

References

  1. "Blue Iguana Recovery Program". Archived from the original on April 3, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2013.