Kingdom : Animalia Class : Reptilia Family : Iguanidae Scientific Name : Iguana Iguana Size : 0.91m - 1.83m (3ft - 6ft) Weight : 4 - 8kg (8.8 - 17.6lbs) Top Speed : 35km/h (21mph) Life Span : 15 - 20 years Colour : Green, Brown, Yellow Skin Type : Scales Special Features : Long tongue and change skin colour with mood
- Iguanas are large species of lizards native to the Caribbean and Central and South American Jungles.
- They grow to an average length of around 3ft to 6ft and weigh between 4-8kg.
- They have excellent eyesight and are able to detect movement from a very long distance.
- This helps them detect their prey and escape from their predators even before they notice them.
- They communicate with each other through a series of rapid eye movements which they pick up through their excellent sight.
- The Green Iguanas inhabit the tree canopies of the rainforests of South America.
- They hardly ever come down to ground and the younger iguanas live lower on the trees than the older ones.
- They prefer to inhabit areas where water is around and are known to be excellent swimmers.
- They also prefer forest environment and are able to perfectly camouflage themselves with their green and brown scales.
- They tend to bask in sunlight at spots on the trees which are directly above water.
- This enables them to escape from danger by diving into the water.
- They are omnivores with a predominantly vegetarian diet especially fruits and green leafy plants.
- The female iguanas dig burrows and lay around 3 eggs per clutch in those burrows.
- The natural predators of iguanas are the Eagle, Hawk and Snakes.
- Interestingly, they are known to be able to change their color according to their mood.
- In the wild, they live to be around 15-20 years old.
- Iguanas are a very popular choice in households worldwide as exotic pets.
- They are a species that is threatened from extinction today
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