International Iguana Foundation

What International Iguana Foundation does

The International Iguana Foundation (IIF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, dedicated to preventing extinctions across the 46-species Iguanidae family, most of which are threatened with extinction. Its core service is grantmaking to field researchers and conservation NGOs, supplemented by direct funding of headstarting and reintroduction programs, scientific field research, habitat restoration, and community education/outreach. IIF reports program activity across at least 14 countries spanning the Caribbean, Central America, Fiji, and the Galápagos, with notable operational outputs including more than 700 Jamaican Iguanas released into the wild since program inception, eradication of invasive cats on Fijian islands to protect Fijian Crested Iguanas, and elimination of charcoal-production threats to Ricord's Iguanas in the Dominican Republic.

The foundation's underlying technology stack is modest but specialized: traditional conservation science methodologies — headstarting, habitat restoration, population surveys, and eDNA sampling — augmented by a newer drone-based aerial survey initiative (Iguanas from Above) that uses unmanned aerial vehicles deployed from boats to access inaccessible marine iguana colonies in the Galápagos. IIF is in early-stage exploration of machine-learning-assisted image analysis for population counting and is leveraging third-party citizen-science platforms (Zooniverse.org) to scale labeling. The foundation's technology is not commercialized; it is used internally and through grant-funded partners.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through tax-deductible donations and the symbolic "Adopt an Iguana" program, with donation minimums set at $10. Distribution is donor-direct via the foundation's website, blog, email newsletter, and organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram), with annual Impact Reports (most recently 2025) used for stewardship and re-engagement. IIF holds a federally registered trademark, was awarded the 2026 Candid Gold Seal of Transparency, and has no parent company, subsidiaries, or disclosed venture or private-equity backing.

Name

International Iguana Foundation

Legal name

International Iguana Foundation

Website

https://iguanafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Iguana Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that funds field research, headstarting, habitat restoration, and community education to prevent extinctions of the world's threatened iguana species across the Caribbean, Central America, Fiji, and the Galápagos.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Endangered species protection
• Habitat restoration programs
• Conservation grant funding
• Iguana recovery programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Worth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The primary revenue stream comes from public donations. The foundation generates awareness to attract donors who support iguana conservation efforts. A minimum donation of $10 is mentioned as helping support conservation of an iguana species.
2. Adopt an Iguana Program: The foundation offers an 'Adopt an Iguana' program where supporters can contribute to specific iguana conservation efforts, providing a tangible connection to the species they support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The International Iguana Foundation provides grant funding to field researchers and conservation organizations for iguana research, recovery programs, habitat restoration, and community education. It also runs headstarting and reintroduction programs that raise young iguanas in protected facilities until they can survive in the wild, and operates public outreach and donor engagement programs such as the Adopt an Iguana initiative. Its work spans the 46 species of the Iguanidae family across the Caribbean, Central America, the Galápagos, and Fiji.

Product overview

The International Iguana Foundation operates as a non-profit conservation organization that does not offer commercial technology products. Instead, the foundation provides a portfolio of conservation services including grant programs for iguana research, headstarting and reintroduction programs, scientific research, habitat restoration, and public education initiatives. The foundation supports multiple iguana species worldwide through financial grants, field programs, and partnerships with local communities. Key offerings include grant funding for researchers, headstarting programs to rebuild populations, species-specific conservation initiatives, and community outreach. The foundation's work spans species including the Jamaican Rock Iguana, Fijian Crested Iguana, Galápagos Marine Iguana, and others across the Iguanidae family.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 Jamaican Iguanas released into the wild through headstart programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hope ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHope Zoo in Kingston, Jamaica hosts the headstart facility for the Jamaican Iguana Recovery Program. Through this partnership, over 468 Jamaican Iguanas have been headstarted and released into the wild. The program is recognized as one of the world's most remarkable conservation success stories.
• Taronga Conservation SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBased in Australia, Taronga Conservation Society has conducted extensive research on Fijian Crested Iguanas including population assessments, conservation genetics, and headstarting programs on Monuriki Island.
• Galapagos Conservation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCT partnered with the University of Exeter and UNC-Chapel Hill on marine iguana conservation research investigating the threat of marine plastic pollution. GCT serves as a strategic advisor on the Galapagos Marine Litter Management Plan.
• Anguilla National TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANT conducted population assessment and distribution studies for Lesser Antillean Iguanas on Anguilla and assessed feasibility of reintroducing iguanas to offshore cays.
• Grupo JaraguacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrupo Jaragua operates three teams in the Dominican Republic and Haiti monitoring Ricord's Rock Iguanas and Rhinoceros Iguanas, observing nesting behavior, and collaborating with local communities to mitigate threats.
• IUCN Iguana Specialist GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IUCN Iguana Specialist Group helps design and implement conservation plans to protect iguana species. IIF Board Member Dr. Chuck Knapp serves as ISG Co-chair.
• Shedd AquariumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Charles Knapp serves as Conservation Director at Shedd Aquarium and IIF Board Member, contributing to iguana conservation research in the Bahamas and Caribbean.
• Iguana Specialist GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharles Knapp Ph.D. serves as IIF Board Member and Iguana Specialist Group Co-chair, helping to design and implement conservation plans for iguana protection.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest environmental nonprofits globally, funding habitat protection and species recovery including in the Caribbean. Competes for donor dollars and grantmaker attention but at a vastly broader scale than IIF.
• Fauna & Flora International: UK-headquartered global conservation NGO with species recovery and habitat protection programs across dozens of countries. Comparable partner-based grantmaking and field execution model, though much broader species scope.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Large incumbent nonprofit operating zoos and field conservation programs across dozens of species globally. Overlaps with IIF in Caribbean/Central American reptile conservation and competes for the same institutional and major-donor pools.

Direct peers

• Re:wild: Species-focused conservation nonprofit co-founded with IUCN that funds field programs to prevent extinctions globally. Comparable grantmaking-to-field-partners model with overlapping donor base and scientific advisory structure.
• Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust: Jersey-based conservation organization running species recovery programs (including reptile work) and channeling grants to field partners. Similar size, species recovery mandate, and international field partner network.
• Galapagos Conservation Trust: A UK-based nonprofit that funds and delivers conservation projects in the Galapagos, including marine iguana research that IIF also supports. Highly comparable single-archipelago/region grantmaking model with field-program execution.
• Taronga Conservation Society: Australia-based zoo-led conservation society running Fijian Crested Iguana headstart and reintroduction programs in partnership with IIF. Directly comparable species-specific reptile recovery model with research and breeding components.
• Rainforest Trust: U.S. nonprofit that funds land protection and species conservation through grants to local partners worldwide. Comparable grantmaking-foundation model aimed at preventing species loss through field-organization funding.
• Turtle Survival Alliance: International nonprofit dedicated to preventing turtle and tortoise extinctions through grants, captive breeding, and field programs. Closely analogous single-family reptile conservation grantmaking organization with similar funding mechanics and recovery focus.
• Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund: Grantmaking foundation that funds species conservation projects worldwide, including reptile work, typically through small grants to field researchers. Closely analogous grantmaking-only model that could competitively fund many of the same investigators IIF supports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalIguanaFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/iguana_foundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-iguana-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Iguana Foundation