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Introduction
 Only two species of iguanas occur in the South Pacific, the banded iguana, which is widely distributed throughout Fiji and parts of Tonga, and the larger Fijian crested iguana, which is restricted in its distribution to a scattering of islands in Fiji. The Fijian crested iguana (Brachylopphus vitiensis) was described by J. Gibbons in 1981 and is currently listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2003), with surveys indicating a massive decline in population over much of its former range in the short period since its scientific discovery.
The notable exception to this downward trend is on the National Trust of Fiji Crested Iguana Sanctuary of Yadua Taba, home to approximately 98% of the total species (estimated > 10,000 individuals). No other island in the Pacific is known to possess such a large or dense population of crested iguanas, on the few other islands where these iguanas still occur sightings are extremely rare.
Fiji has a wealth of folklore surrounding iguanas (locally known as ‘vokai’ or ‘saumuri’) and while they are widely, and mistakenly, believed to be dangerous, crested iguanas are not hunted, eaten or traded. The demise of the Fijian crested iguana over much of its former range can be attributed to a combination of habitat loss and degradation from forest clearing, burning and goat grazing, and the introduction of exotic predators such as cats and mongooses. The one large population on Yadua Taba is now threatened by an accidental introduction of crazy ants, one of the most devastating insect pests ever to threaten Pacific ecosystems. It is imperative that crested iguanas are studied in detail on the only island in which they still occur in large numbers, and that the information gathered be used to inform conservation and reintroduction programs.
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