Origin
The green Iguana is spread over a vast area, from Mexico to southern Brazil and Paraguay, as well as the Caribbean islands.
Iguanas live in tropical forests, in low-altitude areas near water sources, such as rivers or streams.
They spend most of their time in forests, at about 12-15 m altitude.
Green iguana feed
They are omnivorous animals, so they consume both plants and meat. In general, they consume more plants, especially leaves and flowers.
Sometimes green iguanas (especially young ones) also feed on eggs, insects and small vertebrates.
Green iguana features
Adult green iguanas reach up to 1-1.8 m, and some even up to 2 m. these dimensions also include the tail, which is about half the length of the body.
Green iguanas have various shades, from light green to gray-green. They have hard skin and a series of sharp scales along the back. They have long fingers and claws with which they climb and cling.
In addition to the long fingers and claws mentioned earlier, the green iguana has other interesting features. Green iguanas have a well-developed sense of smell and hearing, and excellent eyesight. The long tail is also very sharp and is used as a defense mechanism.
It's possible for a predator to break its tail, but it regenerates without permanent damage. It has waterproof and tough leather for protection against cuts and scratches. The color of the skin gives the green iguana the opportunity to camouflage, that is, to get lost in the surrounding decor, thus avoiding predators.
If they happen to be seen by predators, iguanas can jump from trees directly into the water and swim very well. Green iguanas are very hardy: they can fall from heights of 12-15 m without injury! Males have a special piece of skin, called a goiter. They can inflate their goiter to appear larger than they are, either to intimidate predators or to impress females. Both males and females can store fat under their jaws or in their necks for periods when not much food is found.
They are diurnal animals, meaning they are awake throughout the day. They have cold blood, which means that their body does not produce its own heat. In other words, if it's cold outside, the iguana is cold too. To keep warm, they lie in the sun, on warm rocks, absorbing the heat of the sun.
Like many other tropical species, the green iguana is also threatened by habitat destruction. He is also a victim of the pet industry. There are a lot of people who want a green iguana as a pet, so the demand is high.
More recently, many of them are raised on special farms, and the number of wild catches has decreased. In addition, a few native populations of South America hunt the green iguana for food.
A series of laws have been created to protect green iguanas from excessive hunting and marketing as pets. Unfortunately, these laws are not implemented very well. Efforts are being made to develop protected areas and to educate the local population on the importance of conservation of the species.
Some educational programs help native populations discover new methods of exploiting the land without destroying it. For example, for those who want to continue consuming the green iguana, work is underway to develop programs to raise these animals for food instead of hunting.
The Belize Zoo and Center for Tropical education is working on such a project. Captive breeding techniques are used here to increase the population of green iguanas, and some of these have been released into the wild.
Green iguana breeding
Green iguanas tend to live solitary lives, but can occasionally be seen in groups on sunny days at the beach. They lay a large number of eggs at once (about 50) in holes in the ground called Burrows.
They also dig fake burrows to mislead animals looking to eat their eggs. After laying the eggs, the female leaves them and does not return. After they come out, the iguana cubs grow up without the care of their parents.
Green iguanas lay many eggs, but only between 3 and 10 survive to adulthood. Chicks need about 8-10 weeks to hatch and 2 years to reach maturity.
