Iguana on Taveuni

Submitted by TemoL on Mon, 15/02/2010 - 8:33am

Plans are in the pipeline to declare Qamea and Matangi Island a Biosecurity Area under Part 9 on Biosecurity Internal Control and its clauses henceforth of the Biosecurity Promulgation 2008 to prohibit movement by individuals or groups of the green iguanas from Qamea, Matangi and Laucala Islands to other parts of the Fiji Islands.

This after, the green iguanas (Iguana iguana), found on Taveuni Island are believed to have been brought in by people from Laucala and Qamea Island.

A two men team from the Bio-Security Services Division of Fiji formerly known as the Quarantine Department of Fiji had carried out a survey on the green iguana on Taveuni Island last month and through their findings, this is most likely the reason for the green iguana’s presence on Taveuni Island.

Acting Director of the Bio-Security Services Division, Ilaitia Boa said the survey was carried out for seven days on Taveuni and an additional two days was spent on surveying Qamea Island as well.

“The green iguana, was first reported on Taveuni on the 20th of January 2010 at Lovonivonu, hence the need for a team to investigate its presence and to verify whether green iguanas have established on Taveuni,” explained Mr Boa.

“The objective was mainly to determine whether a breeding colony of green iguanas have established in Taveuni and also to determine the pathway of the green iguana appearing in Taveuni.”

“The team carried out opportunistic searches and this was conducted during trips to villages along the coast during specific times of the day since green iguanas prefer the coastal vegetation and sunny days,” explained Mr Boa.

“The inspection of vegetation targeted tree canopy, trunk and branches of trees where iguanas would normally sun themselves, eat or sleep.”

“The green iguanas are herbivores and feed mostly on leaves and vegetables,” said Mr Boa.

Villagers along the coastal areas on Taveuni were also interviewed and also shown a picture of the green iguana to ascertain its presence.

“With the report that was handed to our office by the team that carried out the survey, it is found that iguanas are incapable of swimming from Qamea to Taveuni, Laucala Island and Matangi Island.”

“There was no established breeding population on Taveuni as the iguanas that were recently found there were brought from Qamea,” added Mr Boa.

A breeding site was found on Yaragau Estate on Qamea Island where juvenile green iguanas were seen.

According to Mr Boa once the two islands are declared a Biosecurity Area, awareness campaigns will be held to educate the people in Taveuni, Matangi and Laucala Islands on the hazards the green iguana has on Fiji as a whole.

There will also be an eradication programme for the villagers in these islands to permanently remove adult green iguanas, juvenile green iguanas and eggs.