Turks and Caicos Iguana Translocation Project
A small laboratory area was set up on the research boat.
Staff from the Wildlife Disease Laboratories' Clinical Laboratory at the San Diego Zoo's CRES have been involved with Turks and Caicos iguana Cyclura carinata fieldwork led by CRES's Applied Conservation Division. Performing laboratory analysis for iguana blood and feces, in the field, has provided diagnostic support that would otherwise be logistically difficult, costly, and potentially inaccurate. A small laboratory area was set up on the research boat where initial fecal examination, white blood cell counts, packed cell volume, and plasma protein measurements were performed. Samples were also transported to the clinical pathology laboratory for clinical chemistry analysis, differential counts on the blood smears, and further examination of the feces for parasites. This laboratory support helped to provide an indicator for individual animal health status pre-translocation. Also, analyses were performed post-translocation to determine the presence or absence of stress or disease possibly caused by the translocation.
