CC BY-SA 4.0 · Aatu Dorochenko · source
Quick Facts
- Type
- Reptile
- Size
- 1.5–2 m total length including the tail
- Weight
- 4–8 kg
- Habitat
- Tropical rainforest canopy near rivers and streams
- Diet
- Herbivore — leaves, flowers, and fruit
- Active Time
- Diurnal, basking and feeding by day
- Lifespan
- 10–20 years in the wild
Field Notes
- Green iguanas have a parietal or 'third eye' on top of the head that detects changes in light and shadow, helping them spot predators overhead.
- They are strong swimmers that dive into water and use their long tail to propel themselves when threatened.
- Like many lizards, a green iguana can shed part of its tail to escape a predator and later regrow it.
About the Green Iguana
The green iguana is a large, tree-dwelling lizard native to the rainforests of Central and South America. Despite its dragon-like spiny crest and whip tail, it is a gentle plant-eater that basks high in the canopy and dives into rivers to escape danger. A loose throat fan called a dewlap, a row of dorsal spines, and a pale 'third eye' on the crown make it instantly recognizable. Males flush orange in the breeding season and bob their heads to defend territory. Iguanas can drop from great heights and shed part of their tail to flee predators.
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