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Rick was born in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1954, and grew up
nearby in the small town of Stuart in the heart of the Blue

Ridge Mountains. From the very beginning, he was adamant
that he would be a zoo man. His earliest childhood memory was
standing in front of the hippo exhibit at the National Zoo in
Washington, D.C. when he was four and getting stung by a bee.
Always a catalyst for action, twelve-year old Rick opened his very
own backyard “Woodland Zoo,” featuring local lizards, frogs,
turtles, salamanders, and other assorted creatures. The operation
attained local fame in his native Patrick County, even leading to
a feature article in the local newspaper in 1966. The article
quoted Rick as saying that, when he grew up, he aspired to
“become a naturalist and work in a real zoo” — and that’s
exactly what he did. Showing an uncanny aptitude for creative
fundraising that I’m fairly certain will last a lifetime, Rick once
admitted to me that he supported his mini zoo by charging a

quarter to curious kids wanting to watch the rabbits … well, you
get the idea. 

After graduating from the University of Richmond with a
degree in Biology, Rick’s dream of a zoo career was realized in
1980, when he joined the professional staff of the Fort Worth
Zoo. There he served as Assistant Curator of Reptiles for 20
years, building a model program that was to become widely
admired throughout the international zoo community. Rick’s
tenure in the herpetological department was guided by an
enduring philosophy that recognized the need to link captive
populations to their wild counterparts in order to achieve the
greatest conservation impact. As a result, the remarkable collec-
tion at Fort Worth was integrally tied to field conservation pro-
grams around the world, including chameleons on Mt. Kenya,
geckos, boas, and chelonians in Madagascar, arboreal alligator
lizards (genus Abronia) in southern México, and Komodo
Dragons in Indonesia. Nowhere, however, was this philosophy
more effectively put into action than in the islands of the
Caribbean. 

Rick first visited this unique and beautiful region in 1977
with a trip to Jamaica. It was no less than love at first sight. Since
then, his appreciation and affection for these islands, their nat-
ural communities, their unique cultures (did I mention cui-
sine?), and most of all their majestic iguanas, has only grown.
He has had the good fortune to work with Rock Iguanas (genus
Cyclura) not only in Jamaica, but also in the Cayman Islands,
the British Virgin Islands, Cuba, the Dominican Republic,
Puerto Rico, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Bahamas. By
Rick’s account, the DR is his all-time favorite because of the rich
cultural experience and warmth of the people. 

Initially, Rick’s contributions were realized through his
capacity as Chair of the American Zoo and Aquarium
Association’s Lizard Advisory Group from 1991–2003, and as
Coordinator of the Rock Iguana Species Survival Program from
1996 to the present. In these roles, he has served as a tireless
organizer, involving over 25 U.S. zoos in such varied activities
as education, field research, captive propagation and reintro-
duction, technology transfer, and genetic and nutritional
research, not to mention generating over $400,000 to support
iguana conservation. That so many zoos have become commit-
ted at such a remarkable level attests to Rick’s innate ability to
bring people of diverse backgrounds together and inspire them
to achieve a shared vision.

I first met Rick in 1992 at an IUCN Conservation
Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) workshop in Vancouver. The

34 IGUANA  •  VOLUME 12, NUMBER 1  •  MARCH 2005 ALBERTS

P R O F I L E

Rick and his “mini-zoo” in 1965. Photograph by R.D. Hudson.

Rick Hudson: 
A Hero for Iguana Conservation

Allison Alberts

The Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species
The Zoological Society of San Diego



IGUANA  •  VOLUME 12, NUMBER 1  •  MARCH 2005 35HUDSON 

goal of the workshop, led by the late Ulysses S. Seal, then head
of CBSG and one of Rick’s most influential mentors, was to
develop a Conservation Assessment and Management Plan for
iguanid and varanid lizards. Although I had previously con-
ducted ecological research on Desert and Green iguanas, I was
a novice to lizard conservation and relatively new to the people
and issues involved. Rick welcomed me warmly and assured me
that I had a contribution to make. So began a friendship that
would steer my life in a new direction. Over the next two days,
we tried in vain to fill in Excel® spreadsheets with data about
species distributions, population trends, and threats to survival.
We were finally forced to admit how woefully little information
was available for so many species, especially iguanas. A need to
organize researchers and managers to gather the expertise needed
to help guide and prioritize conservation efforts was clearly evi-
dent — and Rick had the skills and drive to do it.

The next two years were pivotal for Rick. He cites two
inspirational experiences that served to define his future career
path. Sitting in a headstart facility at the Hope Zoo, surrounded
by young Jamaican Iguanas (Cyclura collei), watching their inter-
actions, and then later that summer at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,
observing a dense congregation of habituated Cuban Iguanas (C.
nubila), something clicked, and the connection was so visceral
that he remembers thinking, “You know, this is worth dedicat-
ing your life to. This is where I need to be.” 

A logical place to start was the Jamaican Iguana, a species
thought to be extinct until the remarkable rediscovery in 1990
of a tiny remnant population clinging to existence in the rugged
Hellshire Hills outside Kingston. Again working with Ulie and
CBSG, Rick and Peter Vogel of the University of the West Indies
organized a Population and Habitat Viability Analysis workshop
for the species, then considered to be the most endangered lizard
in the world. Although a solid plan was developed and key
research needs identified, perhaps the most significant outcome
occurred the day after the workshop officially concluded, when
the participants stayed on to informally share information on a
variety of Rock Iguanas and to brainstorm how we might work
together in a more coordinated fashion to help ensure their
future survival. It was here that the idea of forming an IUCN
Iguana Specialist Group was born, with the consensus that our
initial focus would be on the critically endangered iguanas of the
West Indies. 

To gain official sanction for the group from the somewhat
resistant IUCN Species Survival Commission, Rick enlisted the
help of Commission Steering Committee members Ulie Seal,
George Rabb (Chicago Zoological Society), and Russ
Mittermeier (Conservation International) in lobbying for
approval. Rick’s tenacity finally paid off three years later, when
George announced to the assembled iguana enthusiasts at the
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
(ASIH)/Herpetologists’ League (HL) meeting in Seattle that the
West Indian Iguana Specialist Group had become a reality. In
2000, the group expanded its mandate to become a global
Iguana Specialist Group, which I have had the pleasure to co-
chair, most recently with Rick. He has been instrumental in
developing a new Species Recovery Planning process that is
changing the way we approach iguana conservation by fully
engaging local partners and thereby ensuring a lasting impact. If
I bring a scientific, analytical perspective to the Iguana Specialist
Group, then Rick surely represents its heart and soul. He is a joy
to work with, always upbeat and eager to take on even the most

Rick assisting with health screening of a Grand Cayman Blue Iguana
in November 2001. Photograph by John Binns.

Rick was completely “disarmed” by this young Javan Gibbon at the
Taman Safari Wildlife Park in Bogor, Indonesia (taken while on his
honeymoon in 1994). Photograph by Lis Hudson.



complex problems and situations. His commitment never
wanes, and it is clear from watching him that his work on behalf
of iguanas is truly a labor of love.

In 2000, the Fort Worth Zoo wisely realized that the cause
of conservation would be better served by allowing Rick to
devote his energy and talents full-time to this endeavor. He
became their Conservation Biologist, able to devote 100% of his
time to endangered species recovery programs. This was also the
year that things came full circle for Rick, when a group of twelve
zoos, led by Fort Worth, shared the AZA International
Conservation Award for their collaborative efforts to help save
the Jamaican Iguana. Rick will proudly tell you that recognition
of the Jamaican Iguana Conservation and Recovery Program as
one of the world’s great conservation success stories was a high-
light of his professional career — but, if you catch him in a more
personal frame of mind, he might also share with you a defin-
ing experience he had when participating in a release of head-
started iguanas deep in Jamaica’s Hellshire Hills. As he was
watching a repatriated iguana slowly move away from the release
site, the animal looked back, directly into Rick’s eyes, and he felt
a connection so profound that he was moved to tears. That was
a moment that embodied everything Rick has worked so hard
to achieve, and a memory that will remain with him all his life.

Never satisfied with the status quo, Rick’s most recent con-
tribution has been to act as the impetus for the formation of the

International Iguana Foundation. The mission of the non-profit
foundation, which Rick serves as Program Officer, is to support
conservation, awareness, and scientific programs that enhance
the survival of wild iguanas and their habitats. The foundation,
which has raised over $236,000 to date in direct support for
iguana conservation activities, works hand-in-hand with the
Iguana Specialist Group to develop and administer programs, as
well as determine funding priorities.

In looking back over his years of contributions to iguana
conservation, Rick had this to say: “The successful iguana rein-
troduction programs that we’ve launched in Jamaica, Grand
Cayman, and Anegada prove that captive-reared or headstarted
iguanas are good candidates for such recovery strategies. They
appear to be hard-wired, and rapidly adapt to wild conditions.
We are seeing good survival rates, and released iguanas are now
integrating with wild populations and reproducing naturally.
Programs such as these once received harsh criticism from some
in the academic community, but I take great pride in proving
the critics wrong. Reintroduction technology is such a wide-
open field and there are so many possibilities, we are just start-
ing to write the book. I’m just happy to be involved with it at
such an intimate level. When I consider my primary influences
and my most productive collaborations in iguana conservation,
three people come to mind: Allison of course, who has been
with me from day one, and has always shared my ‘let’s get it
done’ attitude. With her, I am confident that anything is possi-
ble. For strategic thinking and planning, especially fund-raising,
my Director, Mike Fouraker, has been instrumental. Plus he rec-
ognized my abilities and gave me the time and support to use
them. And, most recently, John Binns; his tireless work ethic and
perfectionist attitude is contagious, just being involved with him
drives you to give it your best. I know as long as John is around
that I will never be able to sit back and rest on my laurels.” 

Amazingly, Rick still finds time to make major contribu-
tions to herpetological conservation efforts beyond iguanas. In
2001, he co-founded the IUCN Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA),
a non-profit organization with the goal of developing and main-
taining a global network of living tortoises and freshwater tur-
tles that maximizes future options for the recovery of wild pop-
ulations. The TSA is particularly committed to helping alleviate
the Asian turtle crisis, brought on by the enormous and unsus-
tainable harvest of turtles throughout Southeast Asia for the

36 IGUANA  •  VOLUME 12, NUMBER 5  •  MARCH 2005 ALBERTS

Rick digging in Jamaica’s Hellshire Hills to install a data logger in an
iguana nest. Photograph by Glenn Gerber.

Rick releasing a headstarted Jamaican Iguana in the Hellshire Hills in
1998. Photographer unknown.



IGUANA  •  VOLUME 12, NUMBER 5  •  MARCH 2005 37HUDSON 

Chinese food market. To date, over 4,727 turtles belonging to
38 species have been rescued by the alliance and placed in man-
aged captive programs worldwide. Under Rick’s guidance the
TSA has emerged as a widely recognized force for turtle conser-
vation, expanding their global network to support range coun-
try programs in India, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Rick
shares that he is “particularly passionate about insuring TSA’s
success, because we are proving the naysayers wrong. Most
doubted that such a diverse coalition of partner organizations
and individuals could unite for a common cause — saving tur-
tles. But then I’ve made a career out of proving the critics wrong
and I’ve never minded sticking my neck out for a good cause.
But more importantly, I know this is a battle we can win.” In
addition, Rick serves as an active member of the IUCN
Conservation Breeding, Crocodile, Reintroduction, and
Madagascar Reptile and Amphibian Specialist Groups. He has
traveled widely to destinations that include two “tours of duty”
in Madagascar (that he still considers the trips of a lifetime),
Africa, Costa Rica, Guatemala, México, Malaysia, India, and
Indonesia, where his up-close and personal experiences with
Komodo Dragons while on honeymoon absolutely fulfilled a
lifetime dream. 

Rick has never been one to shy away from controversial
issues or seemingly lost causes. In fact, he has made a living by
tackling tough issues and successfully rallying others to do the
same. He entices all the stakeholders to the table, and has a rare
gift for keeping them there in the pursuit of mutual solutions to
challenging conservation problems. His dedication and passion
continue to enable him to recruit new partners to the cause of

iguana conservation and motivate them to make a difference.
Rick will tell you that he lives by a simple creed: Every species
has a right to survive, and humankind does not have the right
to cause the extinction of another species. As long as Rick has
anything to say about it, iguanas are in good hands indeed.

If you would like to help, please visit the websites of the
International Iguana Foundation (www.iguanafoundation.org)
and the Turtle Survival Alliance (www.turtlesurvival.org).

Rick overlooking the western ponds complex on Anegada, taking a break after a long day of fieldwork. Photograph by Jeff Lemm.

Rick during his first trip to Madagascar in 1991, shown here at the
Amphijora Field Station, site of the breeding program for the endan-
gered Angulated Tortoise, Geochelone yniphora. Photograph by John
Behler.




