Amblyrhynchus cristatus ssp. godzilla. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020

Abstract

The Punta Pitt Marine Iguana is found only on the northern and eastern part of San Cristóbal Island and very likely the satellite islets in this region in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. The estimated extent of occurrence is 257 km2 by minimum convex polygon and the area of occupancy is estimated at 188 km2. The population size is poorly known and was crudely estimated at 50–400 total iguanas on the entire island in 2004. A more recent mark-resight study calculated 147 mature adults at the largest subpopulation of this new subspecies designation. Genetic data indicate a critically low effective population size. Overall population trend is unknown, but is subject to extreme reductions and fluctuations during El Niño events, which are predicted to intensify in the future with ongoing climate change. This iguana is threatened by invasive alien Black Rats, Norway Rats, feral cats, and free-roaming pigs and dogs. Punta Pitt Marine Iguanas are threatened by a region-wide increase in human population and visitation that has multiplied the impacts from stress, marine pollution, habitat degradation, and chance of further invasive species introductions and emergent diseases. Land-based tourist presence and intensity has been shown to have a significant overall negative effect on iguana health.