Large plant-eating lizards of tropical America, with a dewlap and a crest of long scales down the back. The green iguana is widespread and a popular pet; the other species lives only in the Lesser Antilles.
Quick answers
What is it?Reptile
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?Sometimes
The green iguana is a popular pet, and it has been introduced well beyond its native range, including Florida and Hawaii.
Do people eat it?In places
Iguana meat is traditional in Mexico and Central America and also eaten in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. The eggs are eaten in places too.
At a glance
Found inSouth America, Central America
HabitatRainforest, Forest
ColoursGreen, Orange
SizeMedium
Length1.2–2 m including the tail
Weight4–8 kg (green iguana)
Legs4
Covered inScales
Lives alone
Lives for15–20 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Tropical Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean; introduced to Florida, Hawaii and parts of Asia.
- What it eats
- Plants.
Did you know
Has a light-sensing 'third eye' on top of its head.
A female can store sperm for several years.
Often confused with
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