Cayman Islands Blue Iguanas Need Your Help
The European Union has agreed to grant $646,000 to the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme to help bring them back from the brink of extinction.
But the funds have strings attached. “Under the terms of the grant we are obliged to raise and spend (either in cash terms or in donated goods and services that can be valued in cash terms) a matching amount that represents the local contribution to the project,” said the Programme’s director, Fred Burton. He also said the majority of the funds will be spent on building a visitor center. Funds will also go toward a small challenge fund toward protected land purchase, education and awareness work, and steps towards long-term financial self-sustainability.
As explained by CompassCayman, “In December 2007 the European Commission signed a financing agreement with the Turks and Caicos Islands, providing for a grant to support fulfilling its international environmental agreements. The initiative focuses on developing sustainable and low-impact tourism products that can be combined with education in Cayman, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
“Last year Cayman’s government committed to protecting almost 200 acres of Crown land on Grand Cayman’s eastern interior, via a 99-year peppercorn lease to the National Trust. The Cayman Islands portion of the grant, brokered through the Cabinet Office, will assist the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme in relocating from the Botanic Park to the leased area.”
Burton is hopeful the project will be successful. He said, “If we can fit all these pieces together we are in sight of being able to say we have saved the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana from extinction - in a way that offers a long-term future for the Blues and their unique habitat.”