Iguana 10.3 color covers (Page C1) I.I.S. Board of Directors Joseph Wasilewski, President Homestead, FL Joseph Burgess, Vice-president Jacksonville, FL A.C. Echternacht, Ph.D., Treasurer University of Tennesee, Knoxville, TN AJ Gutman, Executive Secretary and Associate Editor of IGUANA West Harford, CT John & Sandy Binns, Directors, Associate Editor of IGUANA and Internet Operations International Reptile Conservation Foundation, San Jose, CA Gunther Köhler, Ph.D. and Elke Köhler, Directors Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Senckenberg & Herpeton, Frankfurt, Germany Robert Powell, Ph.D., Director and Editor of IGUANA Avila University, Kansas City, MO I.I.S. Editorial/Advisory Board Allison C. Alberts, Ph.D. IUCN/SSC Iguana Specialist Group and Zoological Society of San Diego, San Diego, CA John Bendon, Illustrator for IGUANA Bath, England Gordon M. Burghardt, Ph.D. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN Frederic J. Burton Blue Iguana Recovery Program, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Jorge Ferrari Organización de Rescate y Protección de Reptiles y Anfibios, Tegucigalpa, Honduras Matthias Goetz, Dipl.-Biol. Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey, British Isles Alexander Gutsche, Dipl.-Biol. Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany Richard Hudson International Iguana Foundation and Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, TX John B. Iverson, Ph.D. Earlham College, Richmond, IN Chuck Knapp University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Michael Ripca, Managing Editor of IGUANA Leaping Lizards Graphic Design, Atco, NJ Thomas Wiewandt, Ph.D. Wild Horizons, Tucson, AZ Founder Robert W. Ehrig Big Pine Key, FL Statement of Purpose The International Iguana Society, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to preserving the biological diversity of iguanas. We believe that the best way to protect iguanas and other native plants and animals is to preserve natural habitats and to encourage development of sustainable economies compatible with the maintenance of biodiversity. To this end, we will: (1) engage in active conservation, initiating, assisting, and funding conservation efforts in cooperation with U.S. and international governmental and private agencies; (2) promote educational efforts related to the preservation of biodiversity; (3) build connections between individuals and the academic, zoo, and conserva- tion communities, providing conduits for education and for involving the general public in efforts to preserve endangered species; and (4) encourage the dissemination and exchange of information on the ecology, population biology, behavior, captive husbandry, taxonomy, and evolution of iguanas. Membership Information Iguana, the Journal of The International Iguana Society, is distributed quarterly to members and member organizations. Annual dues: Individual U.S. and Canadian Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25.00 Individual Foreign Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35.00 U.S. and Canadian Organizational Membership* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35.00 Foreign Organizational Membership* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $45.00 (*receives double copies of Iguana) Additional copies are available at a cost of $6.00 including postage. JOIN ON-LINE AT: www.IguanaSociety.org Membership questions? Call AJ at 860-236-8203, or write to: The International Iguana Society, Inc., 133 Steele Road, West Hartford, CT 06119 Solicitations Members of the I.I.S. are encouraged to contribute articles, letters to the Editor, news items, and announcements for publication in Iguana. General articles can deal with any aspect of iguana biology, including conservation, behavior, ecology, physiology, systematics, or husbandry. Submission of photographs to accompany articles is encouraged. Manuscripts may be submitted via e-mail (send to ctenosaura@cyclura.com). For any contribution, please include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Authors of one page or more of print are entitled to five copies of the issue in which their article appears. Advertising Policy of Iguana We advertise only non-living products (except feeder insects). All products have been examined and been found to be high quality and fairly priced. Contact Sandy Binns, Advertising Director, at sandy@cyclura.com or 3010 Magnum Drive, San Jose, CA 95135. Iguana Copyright ©2003 by The International Iguana Society, Inc., 133 Steele Road, West Hartford, CT 06119 USA. ISSN # 1098-6324. The contents of Iguana, excluding Research Articles, Research Updates, and reprinted articles, may be reproduced for inclusion in the newsletters of other herpetological societies, provided the material is reproduced without change and with appropriate credits, and a copy of the publication is sent to The International Iguana Society. Occasional exceptions may be made to this policy. Editors’ Remarks IGUANA has undergone substantive changes within the past year. The name has changed, the cover went to black and white, new features have been added, and now the color covers are back and the page count increased — yet the message remains the same: iguanas of all kinds are fascinating animals, whether we experience them in their natural habitat or keep them in our homes — and they deserve our attention. Many wild populations are threatened or endangered and nearly all are declining. Our emphasis on conservation remains unchanged and we will continue to focus on populations in need of our assistance, bringing news of setbacks and advances, and profiling projects and persons that endeavor to help these magnificent animals. However, because many of us came to appreciate these reptiles by caring for them in captivity, we also will strive to provide information that will enhance our ability to care for them in the most humane and efficient manner. In this issue, we present some shocking images of iguanas and other reptiles exploited primarily for food in their native tropical habitats. Although some might argue that this differs little from the exploitation of cattle, swine, or poultry in temperate regions, one major distinction exists: iguanas are wild animals and continued exploitation threatens their very existence. As iguana enthusiasts, regardless of whether we relate best to a pet we have named and with which we share our home or to the fleeting glance of a wild lizard fleeing through the tropical thorn scrub, we must set high standards in our support of conservation efforts and in responsible ownership of even a single animal. This means following the guidelines set out at the end of the article on the exploitation of reptiles in the West Indies (those “rules” apply everywhere), avoiding impulsive purchases of animals (see the letter from the President), being a responsible pet owner (see, for example, the consequences of escaped iguanas in Newsbriefs), supporting animal rescuers, and, above all, seeking to educate the public and other pet owners by taking every opportunity to inform them of conservation needs and appropriate husbandry concerns. The IIS did just that at this year’s National Reptile Breeder’s Expo in Daytona Beach, Florida. Representatives of the Society enjoyed speaking to many current IIS members and welcomed 32 new members! In the course of the weekend, hobbyists, breeders, rescuers, veterinary professionals, and conservationists shared a high level of concern for the well-being of an extraordinary group of animals. Bob Powell, AJ Gutman, and John Binns The IIS in Daytona (left to right): Joe Wasilewski, John Binns, Liza Greenberg, Sandy Binns, AJ Gutman, and Joe Burgess. Visit our website (www.IguanaSociety.com) for more photos from Daytona. Photograph by John Binns.