Hobbies And Interests
Black Spinytail Iguana
Native to Central America, the black spinytail iguana has become an invasive species in Florida. In its natural habitat, the iguana can live up to eight years. The brownish-gray adults measure a total length of about 4 feet and weigh approximately 5 lbs. Its diet consists mainly of vegetation, but the lizard will eat insects, birds and other lizards when available. The black spinytail defends itself with its formidable claws and razor-sharp teeth.
Cuban Iguana
The grayish-brown Cuban iguana reaches a snout-to-vent length (SVL) -- a measure of a lizard's length from the tip of its snout to the spot where the tail attaches -- of 1 to 1 1/2 feet. Habitat destruction and predation by dogs and cats have decreased specie numbers. Like other iguanas, the Cuban iguana dines on a mixture of plant life, fruit and small animals. A larger subspecies of the Cuban iguana, the Lesser Caymans iguana, measures 4 1/2 feet in length, with a SVL of about 1 1/2 feet. This subspecies, found only on the two islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, is critically endangered.
Galapagos Land Iguana
A native of the Galapagos Islands made famous by 19th-century naturalist Charles Darwin's voyages and accounts, the brownish-yellow Galapagos land iguana reaches a total length of greater than 4 feet. The Galapagos iguana feasts on the fruit and leaves of the prickly pear cactus. The species is threatened because of the predation of eggs and young iguanas by rats and cats and competition for food with goats. The females go to great lengths to locate nesting sites, traveling many miles to nest in inactive volcano sites or fighting other females for occupied nests.
Grand Cayman Rock Iguana
The Grand Cayman rock iguana, a distinct species from the iguana found on the Lesser Caymans, measures over 5 feet in length and weighs close to 25 lbs. This formidable lizard, also called the blue iguana because of its color change during breeding season, displays highly territorial behaviors, clashing viciously with and inflicting gruesome injuries on competitors. Females, not typically aggressive, will attack and chase away males after mating. Considered one of the longest-living lizards, the blue iguana lives between 25 and 40 years in the wild. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has deemed the blue iguana a critically endangered species.
Green Iguana
Found in the Americas from Mexico to Paraguay and Brazil, the green, or common, iguana prefers to live in trees close to water. Measuring a total length of 5 to 6 feet and weighing 15 lbs., the green iguana blends in with its vegetative environment, but changes its body color subtly according to its temperament or temperature. Dominant or cold lizards exhibit a darker green color. Fighting occurs when individuals vie for the right to bask, or sunbathe, in certain areas. To escape enemies, the iguana, like other lizards, can drop its tail and regrow it at a later time.
Rhinoceros Iguana
The rhinoceros iguana has an SVL of approximately 1 1/2 to 2 feet and weighs about 13 lbs. to 22 lbs. The iguana's skin color matches its grayish-brown surroundings. The three bumps that sit atop the snout give the lizard its name. Found in the dry forests or rocky coasts on the island of Hispaniola, this iguana relies on underground dwellings to escape from the hottest parts of the day. Successful breeding of the lizard in captivity has contributed approximately 100 young iguanas annually in the 20 years spanning 1974 to 1994.