Conservation of the Cañan de Virú

In 2014, the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MINAGRI) in Peru listed Holmberg's desert tegu Dicrodon holmbergi as a vulnerable species (VU). Desert tegus are the smallest species of tegu lizard distantly related to monitor lizards and they face threats to their population due to habitat loss and human consumption of lizards for food. Faced with this situation, population studies to understand the effects of habitat fragmentation on this species are of the utmost importance in proposing adequate conservation strategies.

I have the pleasure to be an honorary science advisor to the Institute for Research in Ecology and Conservation (IIECCO) and I hope to help researchers in Peru to obtain funds to do the genetic studies which will help us conserve this vulnerable species. While there is some support to conduct field surveys, funds are lacking to conduct the genetic studies. Support from the community would be greatly appreciated so we can get this vulnerable species some protection from activities that could cause it to become further endangered.