Fijian iguanas rescued from smugglers make their new home at the San Diego Zoo
Fijian iguanas rescued from smugglers make their new home at the San Diego Zoo
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Endangered Fijian iguanas arrive at San Diego Zoo
Critically endangered Fijian iguanas rescued from illegal traffickers in Spain arrived at the San Diego Zoo with the goal to safely return to Fiji.
Eight critically endangered Fijian iguanas that were rescued from illegal traffickers in Spain are now in the care of the San Diego Zoo.
The iguanas were some of the over 600 reptiles seized by Spanish authorities in 2017, and have been looked after by the Foundation for Research in Ethology and Biodiversity near Madrid since then. Their move to San Diego will allow geneticists at the zoo to learn more about where they came from and how to safely return them to Fiji.
Wildlife trafficking has become one of the largest international criminal activities, with the black market for illegal wildlife products worth about $20 billion annually, according to the International Criminal Police Organization, or Interpol.
While the poaching of rhinoceros horns and shark fins are familiar examples, reptiles are especially vulnerable to trafficking because of their high demand in the illegal pet trade, said Brett Baldwin, curator of herpetology and ichthyology at the San Diego Zoo.
"Wildlife smuggling is a real problem that threatens Fiji's endangered iguana populations that are already facing pressures from expanding human activities and invasive alien species," National Trust of Fiji Council Chairman Setoki Tuiteci said.
More: Hundreds of reptiles seized by Australian authorities in 'cold-blooded' trafficking scheme
Why are the iguanas in San Diego?
The effort to bring the iguanas to San Diego was years in the making, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said in an April 24 news release. Once they arrived after a long flight from Spain, they headed to the zoo's vet hospital for health screenings and a quarantine.
The zoo has long worked with Fijian iguanas, with its conservation breeding program established in the 1990s. Since then, the zoo has produced over 100 iguana hatchlings and contributed to important research showing the genetic diversity of Fiji's iguanas.
Studying the eight iguanas will allow geneticists to determine whether they were poached directly from the wild or bred illegally, and which Fijian island they came from. The geneticists hope to learn if and how they can return to their native lands, and whether they can contribute to the United States' "assurance population," a group of endangered species kept in captivity and sometimes bred to make sure the species survives.
"It's an honor to have them here now," Baldwin said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Incredible drone photo shows 'prolific' problem costing Australia $100m annually
An Australian pest controller has highlighted a destructive issue impacting rural Australia, causing a $100 million burden on the agricultural industry every year. Incredible drone images of an oat paddock on the mid North Coast of New South Wales highlight just how effectively and systematically feral pigs can dig up crops in search of their next meal. Licensed shooter Nathan told Yahoo News that pigs are "prolific" in the area. It took him just four hours to take down 75 of the invasive beasts earlier this week. "It looks like a WW2 field in Normandy after a mortar barrage," he said of the destruction caused by the pests. To Nathan, it highlights exactly what a population of feral pigs can do in a "very short space of time" on soft, wet ground. In NSW, it's estimated that pigs occupy up to 60 per cent of the state. They spread weeds, disease, and outcompete native species. While it's widely accepted that feral pigs will never be completely eradicated in mainland Australia, the shocking images have prompted calls for a "realistic" approach to tackling the issue. Dr Carol Booth from the Invasive Species Council told Yahoo News pigs are "well known" for causing such damage, adding that it's a "real problem". The omnivorous animals will "eat all sorts", even digging up native turtles and their eggs. "They're after roots and grubs and insects and seeds and worms, so there's a lot of food for them in the soil," she explained. "It's not just in paddocks but in natural habitats, and you often come across diggings and instantly recognise them as pigs." The economic burden of such destruction falls heavily on crop growers and pastoralists. "If they get a big mob of pigs, they'll lose some of their crop or pasture," Booth said. President of the Australian Pig Doggers and Hunters Association (APDHA), Ned Makim previously told Yahoo the onus has fallen on landowners to eliminate the species — who he likened to rodents. Some land owners are calling in vertebrate pest controllers like Nathan while others are offering free accommodation to shooters whose sole responsibility is to keep their populations down. 🐗 Bold new national park plan to hunt invasive species 📸 Incredible photos show major triumph in $100m invasive outback battle 🔥 Unexpected way pristine Aussie island wiped out invasive threat Dr Booth said that authorities need to be "totally realistic" about what it will take to solve the huge problem of feral pigs. "They are highly adaptable and they are very widespread," she said, adding that it's "not feasible" to control their populations across the entirety of our vast country. Many have called for bounties for feral pigs, foxes and cats, with one politician telling Yahoo we're "losing the battle" against the species. But Dr Booth doesn't think it's the right solution, arguing ground shooting alone is "fairly limited" across large areas. 'If you're trying to control pigs at a landscape level, hunters are not the solution because they are not effective enough," she explained. She argues a combination of aerial shooting, ground shooting, baiting and trapping is required to manage feral pig numbers, all while focusing on key at-risk areas. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Man accused of groping teenage boy's groin area near Central Park: NYPD
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A man is accused of groping a teenage boy's groin area near Central Park Tuesday night, police said. A 17-year-old male victim was walking in front of 103-01 West Drive inside Central Park at 11:30 p.m. An unidentified male walked up to the teen and grabbed his groin area over his clothes, police said. More Local News The assailant fled into the 103rd Street Central Park West Subway station in an unknown direction. Officials said the teen was taken to a local hospital to be treated. He is expected to recover. The suspect is still at large, authorities said. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
‘I've missed her so much': Alpharetta woman detained by ICE for weeks released on bond
An Alpharetta woman who immigration agents arrested and detained for more than three weeks is free and back with her husband. A judge in El Paso, Texas, granted Daniela Joly Landin a $10,000 bond Wednesday, allowing her to return with her husband to Georgia. 'It was a very special and emotional moment,' her husband, Richard Landin, said, speaking with Channel 2's Bryan Mims from a hotel room in El Paso. His mother recorded video of the two walking out of the facility. Smiling and teary-eyed, they embraced one another. Daniela and Richard met online and were married on Feb. 8 in Alpharetta. Daniela is 24 years old and from Colombia. She entered the United States in May 2024, presented herself to the U.S. Border Patrol, and applied for asylum. Her husband said violent paramilitary groups in Colombia put her life in danger. 'They kill people for really just about any justification they can come up with,' Richard said. But a judge denied her asylum application, so she appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals, which has not yet heard her case. Her husband said on May 12, three Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents knocked on their apartment door, saying Daniela had an order for deportation because her asylum was denied. She spent about two weeks at the Stewart Detention Center in Columbus but was transferred to the El Paso Service Processing Center in Texas. TRENDING STORIES: Man tries to carjack 2 victims, police say. Then a good Samaritan jumped in to help GA ringleader of fraud scheme sentenced for creating fake recruiting websites to steal identities Police investigate double shooting that left men injured in Greenbrian Mall parking lot Her immigration attorney, Jameel Manji, of Decatur, told Mims last week that immigrants with pending appeals have typically not been detained. But he said under the Trump administration, ICE agents have been more aggressive, pursuing undocumented immigrants who have been in the country less than two years, whether they've broken any laws or not. 'Two years is kind of an arbitrary marker that this administration is using, but basically when someone's been here less than two years, they consider them prime candidates for expedited removals,' Manji said. Richard, who talked with Daniela on the phone daily, said the El Paso facility was overcrowded, making living conditions difficult. 'It was so packed that there weren't any beds left for new arrivals,' he said. 'So, there was a fair amount of them sleeping on the floor.' Dustin Baxter, the attorney who worked to provide Daniela a bond hearing, said the judge granted bond because, 'she's always complied with everything immigration has asked her to do.' She has attended all of her court appearances and filed all paperwork on time, he said. In immigration court, defendants have to pay bonds in full and in cash. Richard said he used his savings, donations from family, and a GoFundMe campaign to raise money. Speaking in Spanish, Daniela said she's grateful for everyone who helped in her case, calling this an answered prayer. Mims sent emails to the Department of Homeland Security seeking a statement about this case, but has not yet received a response. As for Daniela's appeal of her asylum denial, her attorneys said that it could take months, or even years, depending on the backlog of cases facing the Board of Immigration Appeals. 'Asylum is very difficult to obtain,' he said. 'The bar is extremely high, barring that she was specifically targeted for persecution.' Her husband is also petitioning for Daniela to gain permanent legal residency because she's married to a U.S. citizen. For now, he's overjoyed to have her in his arms again. 'Honestly, it's a blessing,' he said. 'It's like an absolute miracle to have her back because I've missed her so much these three weeks. I feel like I'm whole again when I'm with her.'
