Green iguana

They may look stout and clumsy…but they can certainly move when they want to.

Just like us, iguanas are diurnal. This means they are most active during the day and like to rest at night. Unlike us though, they’re arboreal. This means they like to hang out in trees. They’re never far from a water source and are great swimmers. They use the water to avoid predators.

Another way green iguanas have evolved to help them stay alive is that they have a row of spines down their back and tail which they use to defend themselves. The tail in particular is a very effective whip. Their colour helps camouflage them so they can ‘disappear’ in the undergrowth.

Conservation

Green iguanas are quite common in the wild and high in number. Other species, like the Fijian banded iguanas, are endangered.