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Roatan and Bay Islands Discussion List Archive
| Posted On: | 11-Feb-2001 |
| From: | "Becky Dayhuff" [bdayhuff.....net] |
| Subject: | Re: [Roatan] FW: Reptilian Immigration |
Steve/Bob: > 5.) Homeless shelter operator daughter has one large, nasty tempered lady > iguana which she has been unable to place. It's a good thing your daughter does in rescuing no longer wanted Iguanas; however........ > Question: Is it possible for her to bring this homeless lady to Roatan > where she might be released either to the Iguana Ranch or to the wild? Please don't do it!!! Not only for your ill tempered Iguana's sake but also for the sake of the Iguana's already on Roatan. I have been doing animal rescue, both wild and domestic, for over 30 years.....reptiles, bears, birds of prey, wolf hybrids, squirrels, and domestics of all kinds so I know of what I speak. Two reasons I would beg you not to bring your Iguana to Roatan...... #1--It's a very common misconception that "wild" animals innately know how to be "wild" even if they've been raised by humans since birth. This couldn't be further from the truth. Wild animals are taught how to fend for themselves from birth by their animal mothers. A human makes a very poor substitution. Both Sherman's Iguanas (the Iguana Ranch to which you refer) and the wild Iguanas on Roatan are just that.......wild. Your Iguana has no idea how to survive in the wild. She would most likely die a slow, torturous death from starvation, attack by other wild or ferral animals (for which she has not developed a fear since she's never faced threats of that nature), or disease. #2--There is a huge disease factor which comes into play. Even though animals may be of the same species, they may well be carriers of, or have developed immunity to, certain diseases found in the areas of the world in which they've been residing. If they are suddenly moved to another location without benefit of veterinary care and quarantine, they quite commonly either pass along a disease for which the local population has no natural immunity or...the introduced animal develops a local disease for which it has no immunity. The introduced animal might well create an epidemic among the local population which could prove fatal to a number of the local animals. Moving your grouchy Iguana to Roatan would be doing a great disservice not only to her but also to the resident population. So....please......don't do it. With some research and some time your daughter can find a home for Grumpy here in the States. Becky Dayhuff http://www.roatanet.com | |
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