Seventeen iguanas ---- including three endangered species and a fourth whose population is at risk ---- are settling into a $630,000 breeding and research center that opened at the park in the San Pasqual Valley late last month, according to the North County Times.
The Grand Cayman, Cuban, Jamaican and Anegada iguanas now at the park formerly lived at the zoo, where researchers studied, bred and raised them.
The new facility opened Dec. 23 in a section of the animal park that is not accessible to the public.
Researchers hope to see the egg-laying and birth rate go up in the new facility. The 18-foot-long-by-6-foot-wide enclosures also have skylights, natural plants and small doors that can be opened to give the reptiles access to the outdoors or neighboring enclosures. A special air-conditioning system keeps the humidity at the 70 percent to 95 percent that iguanas like.
For more information and video of the new center, go to the article in the North County Times.
