Dr. Allison Alberts is Head of the Applied Conservation Division at the Zoological Society of San Diego, for which she oversees a multidisciplinary research effort that includes habitat restoration and management, reintroduction programs for threatened wildlife, and a seed banking program for endangered plants. She has served as Co- Chair of the Iguana Specialist Group since 1997 and is currently President of the International Iguana Foundation. Although her early research concentrated on social communication in desert and green iguanas, since 1993 she has been carrying out applied research on the Critically Endangered rock iguanas of the Caribbean. Her work includes studies on the behavior and reproductive ecology of wild iguana populations, headstarting and translocation programs, and educational outreach. She is co-editor of the recent volume Iguanas: Biology and Conservation, to which over 20 members contributed. She is also an active member of the Re-introduction and Conservation Breeding Specialist Groups.

Rick Hudson has been with the Fort Worth Zoo for the past 25 years where he managed the Herpetology Department before becoming Conservation Biologist in 2000. He has been instrumental in launching collaborative zoobased reptile conservation programs with a primary focus on endangered iguanas and chelonians. Rick has been working with the Jamaican iguana recovery program since 1992, which received the American Zoo and Aquarium’s International Conservation Award in 2000. He spearheaded the formation of the IUCN Iguana Specialist Group in 1997, has raised thousands of dollars for recovery efforts for Critically Endangered Caribbean rock iguanas, and now serves as Executive Director of the non-profit International Iguana Foundation. Rick has been active on a number of Specialist Groups in the SSC network, most notably as Co-Chair of the Turtle Survival Alliance.

“The mission of the Iguana Specialist Group is to prioritize and facilitate conservation, science, and awareness programs that help ensure the survival of wild iguanas and their habitats. To achieve this, we sponsor, advise, and fundraise for programs that include population surveys, protected areas management, invasive species control, field research, genetic studies, education, and captive breeding/headstarting initiatives,” explains Rick.

“Our highest priorities over the next several years include conservation planning and implementation in range countries, habitat conservation and management, capacity building to counter the threat of invasive species, and conservation outreach and awareness. We will continue to work closely with our in-country partners and sister organizations, the International Iguana Foundation and the International Reptile Conservation Foundation, to achieve our strategic goals.”