Jamaican iguana

Species of lizard

The Jamaican iguana (Cyclura collei), also known commonly as Colley's iguana, is a large species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. The species is endemic to Jamaica. It is critically endangered, even considered extinct between 1948 and 1990. Once found throughout Jamaica and on the offshore islets Great Goat Island and Little Goat Island, it is now confined to the forests of the Hellshire Hills.

The specific name, collei, is in honor of someone named Colley. John Edward Gray, who originally described this species in 1845, referred to it as "Colley's Iguana". Gray did not further specify who Colley was.

The Jamaican iguana is a large, heavy bodied lizard, primarily green to salty blue in color with darker olive green coloration on the shoulders. The Jamaican iguana is the second largest land animal native to Jamaica, with only the Jamaican boa weighing more. Males can grow to over and in length whereas females are slightly smaller, growing to in length.

According to Sir Hans Sloane, a physician and botanist who visited Jamaica in 1688, iguanas were once common throughout Jamaica. The Hellshire Hills area is the only area of Jamaica where this iguana is found. It is relegated to two dense populations that consist of scattered individuals. This health screening has been used to baseline the normal physiologic values of the species, identifying potential future problems due to parasites, diseases, etc. which might threaten the population. The US captive population doubled in size in August 2006 with the hatching of 22 Jamaican rock iguanas at the Indianapolis Zoo. In a 2021 assessment it was estimated that today there are 500–600 mature individuals and the recovery potential for the species is high.