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Green Iguana
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Reptiles |
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South and Central America |
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Iguanidae |
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5 kg |
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Tropical forests |
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Leaves, fruits, insects |
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60 to 90 days |
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14 to 76 eggs |
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Basilisk, opossums, coatis |
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Endangered |
This large herbivorous lizard can break a dog's leg with one whip of the tail.
The green iguana is an excellent climber with its sturdy legs and long clawed
fingers. It has a large and robust stature. Its long rigid tail enables it to
swim and also serves as a defence weapon. The average weight is about 5 kg (11
lbs) and the total length varies between 1,8 to 2,2 meters (6 to 7 feet). This
is the largest lizard after the varanus. The green iguana inhabits mainly
tropical forests of South and Central America.
This species prefers the mangrove forests and lives close to a water source. An adult is essentially herbivorous: it usually feeds on leaves and sometime eats fruit, whereas the young is insectivorous. The green iguana is an arboreal, diurnal and solitary species. We observe in nature small groups of females with one dominant male. One female can lay between 14 and 76 eggs. It does not incubate the eggs and offers no maternal care to the new born. The main predators are the great opossum, the coati and the basilisk, a terrestrial iguana. The green iguana can live up to 10 years in nature.
This is a popular pet in pet shops these days. There are increasing numbers of breeding centers to avoid drops in natural populations in order to reintroduce individuals in the environment as well as to fill the demand for the meat. The green iguana is presently considered an endangered species, mainly due to the hunting for the meat and the collecting of the eggs.