MI Press:Vests keep track of rare iguanas

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Posted by Desiree on October 11, 2001 at 21:40:29:

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10/11/01

Vests keep track of rare iguanas
By Deborah Sederberg

The vests look a bit like a wet suit, Lane Theriac said. The little Jamaican Iguana looks as if he is outfitted, by Nike, for a little recreational diving.

Yes, the Nike corporation is manufacturing tiny green vests for tiny iguanas. The vests, Theriac says, �come with the Nike swoosh.�

Naturally.

The vests, however, are not for making reptilian fashion statements. Rather, when equipped with a micro chip, the vests will help scientists to keep track of the 26 or 27 Jamaican iguanas left on the planet.

The Michigan City Zoo Society will pay for one year�s worth of microchips from proceeds realized from last summer�s �Jammin� in Jamaica,� the annual Zoofest fund-raising event.

When they planned the fest, members of the Zoo Society promised some of the proceeds would be donated to a program to save the endangered iguana.

Lane Theriac, director of the Washington Park Zoo, said the $650 the Zoo Society will donate will be used by an in situ program in Jamaica where the iguana lives. In situ means �on site.� It is a protocol for saving endangered species in their own habitat rather than through a zoo breeding program. The $650 will help scientists keep track of the iguana in their homeland.

Like many endangered species, the Jamaican iguana is a victim of habitat destruction. A vegetarian, the iguana thinks of the hibiscus blossom as a culinary treat, Theriac said.

It is right and proper for local zoo supporters to contribute to saving an endangered species, the director believes.

�We�re here for public education as well as entertainment,� she said. �Zoos have evolved in the modern community. Zoos try to make a difference in the world.�

The Jamaican Iguana Coalition, a not-for-profit organization, raises funds to buy back habitat, Theriac noted. The restored habitat will be enormously helpful in the effort to save the iguana.

The local zoo society deals with Rick Hudson, director of conservation for the Fort Worth (Texas) Zoo, she said. Hudson, in turn, works closely with the Jamaican people.

In Jamaica, the iguana ranges from the mountains, where the famous Jamaican coffee is grown, to rocky terrain near the coastal areas.

The Jamaican iguana �looks like our green iguana,� Theriac said. �But the Jamaican iguana body is more squared off. He�s kind of like the bulldog of the iguana world.�

A bulldog lizard in a Nike vest � why not?

Vests keep track of rare iguanas

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: SEE LINK FOR PHOTO : 10/11/01 : Vests keep track of rare iguanas : By Deborah Sederberg : The vests look a bit like a wet suit, Lane Theriac said. The little Jamaican Iguana looks as if he is outfitted, by Nike, for a little recreational diving. : Yes, the Nike corporation is manufacturing tiny green vests for tiny iguanas. The vests, Theriac says, �come with the Nike swoosh.� : Naturally. : The vests, however, are not for making reptilian fashion statements. Rather, when equipped with a micro chip, the vests will help scientists to keep track of the 26 or 27 Jamaican iguanas left on the planet. : The Michigan City Zoo Society will pay for one year�s worth of microchips from proceeds realized from last summer�s �Jammin� in Jamaica,� the annual Zoofest fund-raising event. : When they planned the fest, members of the Zoo Society promised some of the proceeds would be donated to a program to save the endangered iguana. : Lane Theriac, director of the Washington Park Zoo, said the $650 the Zoo Society will donate will be used by an in situ program in Jamaica where the iguana lives. In situ means �on site.� It is a protocol for saving endangered species in their own habitat rather than through a zoo breeding program. The $650 will help scientists keep track of the iguana in their homeland. : Like many endangered species, the Jamaican iguana is a victim of habitat destruction. A vegetarian, the iguana thinks of the hibiscus blossom as a culinary treat, Theriac said. : It is right and proper for local zoo supporters to contribute to saving an endangered species, the director believes. : �We�re here for public education as well as entertainment,� she said. �Zoos have evolved in the modern community. Zoos try to make a difference in the world.� : The Jamaican Iguana Coalition, a not-for-profit organization, raises funds to buy back habitat, Theriac noted. The restored habitat will be enormously helpful in the effort to save the iguana. : The local zoo society deals with Rick Hudson, director of conservation for the Fort Worth (Texas) Zoo, she said. Hudson, in turn, works closely with the Jamaican people. : In Jamaica, the iguana ranges from the mountains, where the famous Jamaican coffee is grown, to rocky terrain near the coastal areas. : The Jamaican iguana �looks like our green iguana,� Theriac said. �But the Jamaican iguana body is more squared off. He�s kind of like the bulldog of the iguana world.� : A bulldog lizard in a Nike vest � why not?

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