Kula Eco Park is the breeding center of endangered Fijian wildlife and a free hands-on environmental education facility for Fiji’s schoolchildren. AUIP students on the Fiji program spend time here to learn about Kula’s initiatives. Kula Eco Park shares with us some of their recent breeding successes:
Fiji is home to three species of rare iguana; Brachylophus vitiensis, Brachylophus fasciatus and Brachylophus bulabula. Brachylophus vitiensis, commonly known as the Fijian crested iguana, was first scientifically discovered in 1979 by Dr. Gibbons.
Fijian crested iguanas are listed as critically endangered under the IUCN Listing 2010. These iguanas were once found on 14 different islands but are now found on only three. Each island iguana population is unique in that they are genetically different, one from the other even though in some cases the islands are just a few kilometers apart.
Exactly 99.9 percent of the entire world’s population of these species is found on a seventy hectare uninhabited island called Yadua Taba, which is a National Trust sanctuary. Kula Eco Park is the world’s largest breeding center for Fijian crested iguanas.
Monoriki Island, where the movie “Cast Away” starring Tom Hanks was shot, has been known to have a tiny population of its own Fijian crested iguanas remaining. Surveys conducted over the years have documented the steady decline due to goat grazing of food supplies and other issues. The traditional owners of the Island decided to take action and, in an agreement with the National Trust for Fiji, agreed to supply iguanas to a captive breeding and head start program while they cleared the Island of threats and allowed the reforestation.
Kula Eco Park, through a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Trust for Fiji and a grant from CEPF, built a captive breeding facility in early 2010 for the breeding of Monoriki crested iguanas. The World Iguana Specialist Group had recommended this action during their meeting in Fiji in 2004. The program is expected to generate sufficient number of offspring to re-populate the island.
A total of 17 crested iguanas were found on the 40 hectare uninhabited island and transferred to Kula Eco Park for the captive breeding and head starting program. The first five eggs were laid on April 28, 2010. These were collected for artificial incubation, a process that takes seven to nine months.
The eggs were incubated in a temperature and humidity controlled environment under constant supervision. The first of the eggs hatched on November 23, 2010 and the last on December 12, 2010.
The adult iguanas have been paired and many appear to be heavily gravid. Many are digging in the substrate provided indicating their readiness to deposit their eggs. Results from these eggs will become know at the end of 2011.
Kula Eco Park is exclusively funded by gate receipts, donations and the owner.
The accompanying pictures show the eggs and the new arrival to the park.
