Invasive species are a huge issue across the world, threatening ecosystems and the biodiversity that makes many of our planet’s beautiful islands unique.

From grey squirrels to the European Starling, from the cane toad to the mongoose, human intervention across the decades has introduced new species in lands where they never before belonged, causing absolute pandemonium to those below them in the food chain.

In some nations the issue is so dire that culling operations and meticulous border control are enforced to try to reduce the issue, and prevent any further problems from developing.

This was about to be the case on the Mexican island of Clarion, where several species – including sheep, pigs, and rabbits – have historically wreaked havoc on natural habitats. But then the animal that was this time about to be targeted – the spiny-tailed iguana – revealed a staggering secret.

The end seemed to be nigh for the spiny-tailed iguana on Clarion Island, as it had long been declared an invasive species, introduced by humans, thanks to its absence from historical records.

With the protection of its epic biodiversity in mind, the authorities intended to remove the species from the island, a unique haven for plants and animals thanks to its isolated position in the Revillagigedo archipelago.

However, an eleventh-hour report from an international team of researchers stopped the plans in their tracks, after genetic information proved something startling.

The spiny-tailed iguana has actually been on the island for over 425,000 years – significantly outdating the presence of humans there.

In a paper, which was recently published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, researchers suggested that the iguanas likely arrived from the Mexican mainland on driftwood or other vegetation that travelled across the Pacific Ocean.

Thanks to this new information, the iguanas are now considered native to Clarion Island, meaning that the creatures must be protected as a vital part of the island’s unique flora and fauna – an important step, as researcher Daniel G. Mulcahy explained in a statement:

“Our study demonstrates the importance of genetic and natural history research for nature conservation. Only through precise analyses can we understand which species truly belong to an ecosystem—and how we can effectively protect them.”

It’s a sigh of relief for the iguana, and given the species is vulnerable to extinction, it’s fantastic news that researchers were able to protect it.

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