Photo: John Marotta

Our incubators are loaded again, as this year’s nesting season reaches its peak. Today we have 106 eggs incubating, and more nest excavations underway. Almost all these developing new baby Blue Iguanas are slated to go free into our new protected area in 2011, after spending two years growing to a safe survival size in the captive facility.

Nesting season is always hard work for our staff and volunteers, but sometimes offers fascinating views into the iguanas’ world. Warden John Marotta took this photo of a native snake (Alsophis cantherigerus) which he saw striking at a small movement in the ground – only to discover its target was hundreds of times bigger than it expected! “Shy”, one of our Botanic Park lakeside females, was just leaving her nest chamber. One very confused snake, a completely unconcerned Blue Iguana, and 11 more perfect eggs in the incubator.