Jessica with Fred Burton and Colin Walkin
Fred Burton Blue Iguana Recovery Programme & Dr. Colin Wakelin
from the Department of Agriculture trying to save an older female
‘Jessica’ after the Murders and Attacks May 3rd.(photo credit BIRP)
Update : 7 BLUE IGUANAS DEAD, the toll rises !
Before I paste in the Press release just a couple of personal words. This is completely unacceptable behaviour on any persons part. Killing animals has only one place and that is hunting for food, for survival. It certainly should not be a sport, nor a pass time to amuse idiots with nothing better to do. These poor Blue Iguana were viciously and horrendously beaten. These animals were all captive and had no means of escape; and beyond that were tame and use to human interaction.
The people that committed this monstrosity need to be brought to justice and punished suitably. Although I am completely against physically punishing people occasions like this make me give leniency towards thorough beatings !
If you wish to show your support towards this cause please either email Fred Burton, feel free to donate or perhaps spread the word and help the cause !
PRESS RELEASE [from the Blue Iguana Recovery Program]
5th May, 2008. For immediate release.
Six critically endangered Grand Cayman Blue Iguanas were killed by unknown persons late on Saturday evening, in the QE II Botanic Park. The crime was discovered by volunteers with the National Trust’s Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, shortly after 9am on Sunday morning.
The iguanas appeared to have massive internal injuries, as if they had been stamped on violently and repeatedly. Some were also cut and partially dismembered. Three were found dead inside their breeding pens, two had been carried out of their pens and left in the tour area outside. The body of the sixth is still missing, but entrails on the trail outside his pen are a grim sign of his fate.
Department of Environment enforcement officer Carl Edwards was on the scene almost immediately, fast followed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police who began forensic work and have commenced an investigation. Dr. Colin Wakelin from the Department of Agriculture closed a large gash in one of the surviving victims and began making arrangements for an autopsy to confirm the causes of death, which will probably take place later today.
Dead on Sunday morning were the adult breeding males “Yellow” (sponsored by Caribbean Publishers), “Pedro” (sponsored by Websters Tours), “Digger” (sponsored by Simon Hicks), and “Eldemire” (christened by Kent Eldemire). The grand matriarch of the captive facility, “Sara”, was also dead. “Jessica” had been thrown out of the neighboring pen and was in shock, but still moving. Both females had been preparing to lay eggs.
The effort to save Jessica’s life went on into the night, but despite specialist advice by telephone from the Wildlife Conservation Society and Dr. Wakelin’s resourceful and determined attempts to stabilize her, she passed away during the night.
The persons responsible may have broken into the Park after closing hours, and found a way into the fenced-in captive breeding facility. No motive is known for this act of extreme violence against these unique and much-loved symbols of Cayman’s natural heritage. Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the Royal Cayman Islands Police.
UPDATE: Radio Interviews 6th May 2008
CayRock 96.5
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(missed the 1st half)
Kiss 106.1 FM
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Hot 104.1 FM
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(missed the start)
CayCompass.com [ link ]
National Geographic [ link ]
Our note to Readers : Please feel free to go https://ircf.org/donate.php and donate to the Cause everything is greatly appreciated by the programme I am sure, especially in this time of need ! (be sure to select Blue Iguana Fund !)
all photos coutesy of the Blue Iguana Recovery Program
This is the saddest day in the history of the Botanic Park!!! I hope the wretches that committed this hideous act will be caught and jailed for many years!!!
This is horrible!! Who ever would do such a thing to any living animal obviously needs some serious mental help (and a tire iron to the back of the head – just to know what it’s like)…
Motion seconded “Who ever would do such a thing to any living animal obviously needs some serious mental help (and a tire iron to the back of the head – just to know what it’s like”
The person(s) behind this should be put behind bars for a very long time with NO chance of parole – EVER!
I am numb that people could do such a thing. This is blatant attack at the people of Cayman and those that have worked so hard with the Blue Iguana project. They have set them back for years and who knows what consequences that may have.
So utterly sensless, malicious and unpatriotic…
This just disgusts me. The human race, nor any other creature, will ever be able to survive with this sort of pointless barbaric violence. Those responsible for this need to be put behind bars forever, to rot.
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Have they found the body of the last one? My understanding is a body is missing.
This may have been done to cover up the thief.
Deborah,
Yes a body of Pedro, one of the largest captive Blue Iguanas they had, has his body missing; although his guts were at the site of the murders. Pedro was also the bluest of all the Blue Iguanas and was also the one that personally greeted Prince Edward on his visit to the Botanic Park here in Cayman.
I don’t see how taking one body can cover up all the murders though, my thoughts were his body was taken as a trophy or to be eaten.
I am told that typically if and Iguana is stomped on hard enough then the guts may come out of the mouth or anus. That thought is even more disturbing to me.
The bright side is that potentially if it is kept as a trophy then this is evidence of who has done it. Hopefully the reward and the fact that it may have been shown off could help to find the disgusting individuals that did his.
How sad! what awful people to have done this to innocent reptiles. poor little things.
This is a sad occurrence and my first thought is, could it be possible that it was another animal that attacked the iguana? It baffles my mind to think humans could have done such a horrible act. If it was carried out by a person(s), may they rot. If it was an animal, the park may need to better protect it’s inhabitants.
Sadly it seems that an automated, battery backed up, hardened solid state or disk based video recording system should be installed with CCTV to prevent repeats of this. When the time comes for something like that, I will donate for it.
Y’know, when something like this happens and it takes months for the police to come up with some kind of clue? Why don’t the people hire a Psychic for a week… Like Sylvia Browne or Carol Pate to handle the case. ??? They both worked for the police to recover missing people… not to mention, they (the psychics) and the police had a 100% recovery record. Not bad. Something for you to think about especially since the person or persons weren’t caught yet.
Good Luck in finding the killers and God Bless ALL of our Animals.
I am so upset by this, and it just so happens my company has the solution for preventing it from happening again – monitored camera surveillance. We’re looking at ways to donate the system, but the overhead is high and we’re a small company. I’m going to contact the Botanical Staff to see what they need and how we can contribute. If anyone wants to assist, please write me.
I’ve been grieving the loss of these precious creatures since this tragedy has occurred. I’m deeply saddened and angered. I find it incomprehensible that such a horrific act of violence has befallen these innocent and anazing creatures. I cherish their memory and their beauty. It has hit me especially hard since I spent a day at the park in December admiring them. That was the one thing I really wanted to do on my visit to Cayman was see them. I hope the police get to the bottom of this and soon. This person or persons deserves a fate worse than theirs. We can’t stop until justice is served. We must be diligent in finding these monsters.
This is so sad. Living on Little Cayman I grew to love the Iguanas that were always out sunning themselves. The same thing happen on LC about 3 years ago.If I remember correctly 5 or 6 had been killed here. We found out it was two men who were dirving around the islands in a truck looking for iguanas out on the road so they could run them over,just for what they called “fun.”
It is so sad that this has happened again. I hope the police find who did this and hold the accountable.
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I am utterly ashamed to be part of the species that did this. Punished to the full extent should reinstate corporal punishment.
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We have a Blue Iguana in our local zoo! When I heard of this tragedy I became physically ill! I hope the people who did this get put in jail and are severely punished.
Many people in Tulsa, OK in the U.S. are upset over this loss!
As a reptile rescuer in Tx, I am so saddened and angered by this. When I first heard the news, I could not physically bring myself to click the links and read the story, because I knew what it would do to me emotionally. I only just had the stomach to read about it now. As a rescuer, we see so many here suffering from various trauma that we cannot save. It is nice when you have one you can actually save and release. To have such long lived and beautiful animals senselessly murdered by persons who set out to do this to them, gives me such grief and anger. I cried for the poor Blue Igs. This is one reason I don’t particularly care for people and instead devote my energies to animals. The animals can never have malice and senseless hatred in their hearts, as people do. Let those responsible for this barbaric act bear the full brunt of a new chapter in vengance and maximum punishments in Grand Cayman law!
Pretty nice site, wants to see much more on it!
Just trying to research if the culprits have been found or what’s come of the investigation ?? anyone know ?
Vikki,
I do not know the full details of what is / has happened, but i can inform you that no one has been arrested as far as i know i conjunction with this crime. I do not know the extent of what is allowed to be public now and infact the subject has been all but dead within the BIRP and the Islands for quite some time. I may endeavor to get a statement or mini interview from the BIRP sometime soon.