The Lesser Antillean iguana (Iguana delicatissima) is one of the most endangered lizards in the Caribbean. Genetically distinct from the common green iguana and native to the Lesser Antilles, it has been displaced across most of its range by introduced green iguanas and habitat loss. La Désirade is one of the few islands where a viable population survives, protected in a reserve in the dry scrubland in the island's interior.
The iguanas can be seen moving through the low thorny vegetation on warm mornings, or basking on rocks in the sun. They are grey-green with blunt snouts and a row of short spines along the back — less extravagant than the common green iguana but handsomer on closer inspection. The reserve makes La Désirade one of the most accessible places in the region to see this species outside of a zoo. Walk quietly and you will find them without difficulty.