Day Uno

Piercing an iguana's nuchal crest to add colored beads is a time-honored technique to mark individual animals. To use social network analysis tools, individual ID is a must. However, iguanas of all sorts are fascile in removing said beads -- so every trip begins with a few trapping days. 

It's quite interesting how willing Ctenosaura similes is to enter a trap for some fruit. In this very end of dry season (rains are late), fruit is likely an amazing food find. 

Also, iguanas are both disappearing and new ones join the group -- so in the 16 caught during my first full day, 4 are new to the study. Known animals are generally more useful for my questions about social structure and usually they are where I expect them to be -- same local area, same refuge and previous 6 months. Stability is important for this species.  

Breakfast for humans is 6:30; by 7:30 all traps are set and baited, and I wait for the iguanas to warm up enough to start their day. In the meantime there are the howler monkey and parrot seranades, the mosquito attacks, and the great pleasure of field work. But don't get me wrong: it's all for SCIENCE!