The Lesser Antillean Iguana is a critically endangered species endemic to the Lesser Antilles where it only remains on a handful of islands. Despite its regional decline, little is known about most details of the species’ ecological niche. Within this project you will perform ecological research on the species diet; you will study which seeds are eaten (are these only native or also non-native species), what is the health of the seeds after gut passage, and what is the effect of gut passage on germination characteristics. You will perform field surveys for initial data collection, analyses of collected material and finally germination experiments.

We are looking for students that can work independently, have an assertive and hardworking work ethic, and have a good physical condition. Experience with tropical fieldwork is a plus. Important condition is that you can be on St. Eustatius for the full period.

Period: duration of 5-6 months, roughly October 2023 to February 2024
Please contact Matthijs van den Burg if you are interested in this project at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.