Iguana 13.2 b&w text IGUANA • VOLUME 13, NUMBER 2 • JUNE 2006 171IRCF ON THE MOVE Governor’s Reception In honor of the Blue Iguana Recovery Program, His Excellency the Governor of the Cayman Islands, Mr. Stuart Jack, CVO, and Mrs. Mariko Jack held a reception at the Government House on Grand Cayman on 9 May 2006. In attendance were the Blue Iguana Recovery Program’s staff and volunteers, the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands Government’s Departments of Environment, Tourism, Education, and Agriculture, local sponsors, and supporters. From the UK, Quentin Bloxam represented the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, accompanied by DWCT Board members and supporters. Representing the International Reptile Conservation Foundation were John and Sandy Binns, and Joel Friesch. Speeches by His Excellency, Governor Jack, Fred Burton, and Quentin Bloxam expressed gratitude to all the people and organizations that have supported the Program over the years. Looking forward, Bloxam indicated that protected status for the specialized habitat and the Blue Iguanas now residing in Cayman’s East End is an important next step in the recovery Plan and urged all those able to influence such a decision to provide support. The IRCF acknowledges and is grateful for the accommo- dations supplied by Teresa Foster of the Grand Caymanian Resort (www.grandcaymanian.ky). All speeches in their entirety will be available for download on the new IRCF website in the weeks to come. Project Heloderma The IRCF is proud to partner with Zootropic, Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza, Guatemala, CONAP, Zoo Atlanta, and The Nature Conservancy in supporting Project Heloderma (see Conservation Focus, p.176), which is focused primarily on the preservation of the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum charlesbogerti). With fewer than 200 indi- viduals remaining in a tiny amount of specialized habitat, this unique subspecies has become one of the most endangered rep- tiles in the world. The project is part of a conservation effort to I R C F O N T H E M O V E Chris Carr of the BIRP staff dressed elegantly for the Governor's reception. JO H N B IN N S John and Sandy Binns meet the governor. JO EL F R IE SC H Guatemalan Beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum charlesbogerti). © 2 00 6 PH O TO C O U R TE SY O F ST EP H A N IE S C A N LI N / ZO O A TL A N TA Iguana 13.2 b&w text.QX6 6/26/06 1:21 PM Page 171 172 IGUANA • VOLUME 13, NUMBER 2 • JUNE 2006 IRCF ON THE MOVE preserve the remaining dry forest habitat of the Motagua Valley in Guatemala. To support Project Heloderma, the IRCF is developing a content-rich website to promote the project. This will include a donation-support program that will be a major tax-deductible donation port for U.S. donors. The site also features information on both species of Heloderma plus a section dedicated to support of the upcoming 2006 National Reptile Breeder’s Expo auction to benefit the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard. Rob Dorson Memorial Trust The IRCF has received a $6,500 donation from the Rob Dorson Memorial Trust to be applied toward the Blue Iguana Recovery Program. We are grateful to the friends and family of Rob Dorson, especially Marilyn, Lee, and Jill Dorson, for their ongoing support in honor of their son and brother who passionately loved Blue Iguanas. Andros Iguanas Football Club Ricardo Johnson, team coach, reports the Andros Iguana Football teams did well in the Nassau Games, returning with many medals. “All of us came back with an experience that makes us proud to be Iguanas,” he commented. Ricardo reports that the team has expanded to 40 members and now has eight coaches on staff. The next phase is to start a 13-year-old and under team to launch into another dimension. To meet this expansion, the IRCF and Shedd Aquarium, through the efforts of Chuck Knapp, are in the process of creating another shipment of team jerseys. Those interested in contributing to this winning team, all of whom are iguana conservation-minded spokespeople on Andros, please contact John Binns at JFB@IRCF.org IRCF Helps Out This past March, the Mid-Michigan Reptile Rescue took in 27 assorted varanids (Varanus), tegus (Tupinambis), and Rock Iguanas (Cyclura), many of them extremely thin and dehy- drated. All had been in the possession of a Detroit resident, who passed away without leaving any instructions or provisions for their placement. To help buffer the expense of caring for these rescued animals, the IRCF donated $500 and rallied other IRCF members for donations. Answering the call for assistance, IRCF members Mark Malfati (West Coast Iguana Research), Desiree Wong (IRCF Public Relations), Kathryn Tosney, Ella Marie Poyner, and Jerod Rice amassed $1,065 in aid. Thank you con- tributors! IRCF Poster Used in Dallas Zoo Interpretive Display The Dallas Zoo incorporated the IRCF remaining-numbers poster in a new interpretive display near their Cyclura cor- nuta exhibit. Joel Friesch’s Rhinoceros Iguana sculpture is also a part of the display, but had not yet been erected when the photo was taken. Prior to the Nassau Games, the IRCF created this special poster for the event and printed a limited quantity for distribution. JO H N B IN N S / J O EL F R IE SC H Interpretive sign at the Dallas Zoo, with remaining-numbers poster on right. K IR B Y M ET C A LF Rhinoceros Iguanas (Cyclura cornuta) at the Dallas Zoo. K IR B Y M ET C A LF Iguana 13.2 b&w text.QX6 6/26/06 1:21 PM Page 172 IGUANA • VOLUME 13, NUMBER 2 • JUNE 2006 173IRCF ON THE MOVE New Addition to the Blue Iguana Website The IRCF has been developing an online sponsorship program for the Blue Iguana Recovery Program and it is now in the final testing stages and scheduled for launch very soon. The spon- sorship program allows visitors to the Blue Iguana website (www.BlueIguana.ky) to review catalogs of animals available for sponsorship on a yearly basis. Once a selection (and optional items, such as naming the animal for life) has been made, the program generates an official personalized sponsorship certificate embedded with a photo of the sponsored Blue Iguana, a custom photograph, and other optional items, and sends the sponsor a download link for retrieval. The program tracks the sponsorship duration and automatically notifies the sponsor when renewals are due. New IRCF Website IRCF software developers are creating an updated, dynamic, and informative website. Development is progressing rapidly; we are now incorporating content and plan to launch soon. Educational Poster for the Indianapolis Zoo As part of the our commitment to support iguana conserva- tion awareness, the IRCF donated creative resources to assist Indianapolis Zoo’s Ricord’s Iguana conservation efforts in the Dominican Republic. In addition, the IRCF sent 50 copies of Volume 12, Number 4, Special Emphasis on the Dominican Republic, to the Dominican Republic for distribution. Poster about Ricord’s Iguana (Cyclura ricordii) conservation efforts at the Indianapolis Zoo. JO H N B IN N S Blue Iguana Recovery Program sponsorship page. Blue Iguana Sponsorship Certificate. New IRCF Main Page. Iguana 13.2 b&w text.QX6 6/26/06 1:21 PM Page 173