is now a partnership, linking the Trust with the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, National Trust Cayman Islands, Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, International Reptile Conservation Foundation, IRCF, and the European Commission. This program operates under a special exemption from provisions in the Animals Law of the Cayman Islands, which normally would make it illegal for anyone to kill, capture, or keep iguanas. BIRP's conservation strategy involves generating large numbers of genetically diverse hatchlings, headstarting them for two years so that their chance of survival in the wild is high, and using these animals to rebuild a series of wild sub-populations in protected, managed natural areas. A rapid numerical increase from a maximum possible number of founding stock is sought to minimize loss of genetic diversity caused by a population bottleneck. Restored sub-populations are present in two non-contiguous areas —the Salina Reserve and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. Habitat protection is still vital, as the Salina Reserve has only of dry shrubland, which is not enough to sustain the 1,000 blue iguanas that were planned to be restored to the wild. The 2001 plan called for additional sub-populations to be restored in one or more other areas. When the wild sub-populations have reached the carrying capacity of their respective protected areas, release of head-started animals will be phased out. The overall captive population is likely to remain genetically fragmented in the long term. To maintain gene flow, individuals should be translocated between zoos. According to the 2001 plan, breeding of blue iguanas in the wild will require indefinite future management. To sustain this activity, a range of commercial activities was hoped to generate the required funding. An education and awareness effort in 2007 was meant to ensure local involvement and support. In April 2019, one iguana laid 18 eggs for possible hatching. Any survivals will be the first successful breeding since 2015. References External links Blue Iguana Recovery Program (B.I.R.P.) International Reptile Conservation Foundation The National Trust for the Cayman Islands, the B.I.R.P's parent organization International Iguana Foundation Cyclura Endemic fauna of the Cayman Islands Reptiles described in 1940 Taxa named by Chapman Grant Endangered fauna of North America