ENDANGERED SPECIES - BLUE IGUANAID92920051
A.P.E. BLUE IGUANA COIN
For the year 2022, being aware of the importance of conserving the integrity and diversity of nature by ensuring the equitable and sustainable use of natural resources, the FNMT-RCM is issuing a collection of 16 coins dedicated to a selection of endangered animals catalogued as Critically Endangered (CR) and included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The complete collection consists of sixteen coins, issued in the year 2022, and an album-case in which to store them in an orderly fashion.
On the obverse, in a central circular area, an image of a blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi) is reproduced in colour. At the bottom, in a circular downward direction and in capital letters, the legend IGUANA AZUL (BLUE IGUANA). At the bottom, in a circular direction and in capitals, the legend ESPAÑA (SPAIN) and the year of issue 2022.
On the reverse (common to all the coins), inside a central circle, the legend ANIMALS IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION appears at the top, in a circular shape and in capitals; below it, the value of the coin 1.5 EURO, in two lines and in capitals; and, below it, the mint mark.
| Series | Endangered Species |
| Year | 2022 |
| Colour | Yes |
| Diameter (mm) | 33 |
| Face Value (Euro) | 1.5 |
| Metal | Cupronickel |
| Weight (g) | 15 |
| Maximum Mintage (units) | 5,000 |
BLUE IGUANA, (Cyclura lewisi):
The blue iguana, also known as the Cayman Island blue iguana, is a species endemic to the island of Grand Cayman, located in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica. Before the colonisation of America there were many specimens of this species, however, they are now in danger of extinction mainly due to the reduction of their natural habitat. It should be noted that this species has lived on earth for more than 3 million years.
It is a long-lived species of iguana, reaching a lifespan of around 50 years. With a marked sexual dimorphism, adult males weigh around 11 kg and are approximately 1 metre long from head to tail, although there are cases of specimens that measure more than this. It is during the mating season that adult individuals acquire the beautiful turquoise blue colour that gives their species its name.
They are mainly herbivorous animals, feeding mainly on leaves, flowers and fruits, although occasionally they may also eat small insects and molluscs.
Classified by the IUCN as an endangered species, this reptile is very vulnerable to changes in its environment, due to the reduced space it occupies on Grand Cayman Island. The disappearance of its habitat, the capture of its eggs or live specimens for trade, trampling and the introduction by humans of invasive species and pets, such as brown rats, the common green iguana, dogs or cats, have brought the blue iguana to the brink of extinction as a species in the wild.