Rare Anegada Iguana Participates in Training at San Diego Zoo

Published 2015-10-07

An Anegada ground iguana named Gus participated in a “target training” session with a reptile keeper earlier this morning (Oct. 6) at the San Diego Zoo. During these sessions, a keeper asks the 31-year-old Gus to walk to a spot where a target is placed. Once Gus successfully completes the behavior, the keeper hits a clicker, letting the iguana know he did what was asked of him, and then the keeper rewards him with a special treat of sweet potato to positively reinforce the behavior.

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Keepers report Gus was a good “student,” learning to hit his target in a series of short sessions in just over a month. Training sessions are held for approximately 10 minutes, two to three times a week—and Gus always seems eager to participate.

The Anegada ground iguana, native to Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands, is a critically endangered species with an estimated population of just 200 individuals remaining in the wild. These iguanas have to compete with free-ranging livestock for vegetation, and avoid feral dogs and cats that prey on them.

The San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research has been working with iguanas in the Caribbean for the past 18 years and has a headstarting program on Anegada island. Iguana eggs are protected and hatchlings are taken into a captive setting when they are very young so they won’t be predated by feral cats. The iguanas are then released back into the wild at around two years of age. To date, the reintroduced headstarted iguanas are exhibiting a remarkable 87 percent survival rate. There also is a captive breeding program of Anegada iguanas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Visitors to the San Diego Zoo can see Gus in his outdoor habitat on the Klauber-Shaw Reptile Walk.