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Edible flora phenology
Little information has been gathered on the diet of the Fijian Crested Iguana in it’s natural habitat. A team from the University of the South Pacific, headed by Clare Morrison is conducting a one-year diet study on Yadua Taba with multiple two-week trips to the island. The F.C.I.P. team has collaborated with the U.S.P. team with the help of the National Trust of Fiji to help maximise the data collection for the benefit of these critically endangered animals.
The F.C.I.P. team is collecting data from 15 species of trees that the Fijian Crested Iguana is known to eat. Over 600 trees within the observation plot as well as an additional 150 trees in other areas on the island were studied. These same trees will continue to be studied on subsequent project phases. Information such as trunk diameter, canopy height and depth as well as when the tree produces new leaves, fruit, etc. is recorded. Over the course of the project, this data will paint a picture as to what plant species the iguanas use throughout the year and this information will be of direct benefit to reintroductions and translocation attempts.
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