Iguanas in the Rainforest

Iguanas are large cold-blooded reptiles living in tropical rainforests throughout the world. Iguanas have been hunted or captured in some parts of the world where they are critically endangered. Iguanas are on the food menu of predatory birds, snakes, big cats, and humans. Loss of habitat is also a problem, as our rainforests become threatened, so do the lives of iguanas.

  1. Types of Iguanas

    • Iguanas are one of the largest lizards in the reptile family. Most people recognize the green rainforest iguana because it is the most frequently photographed, but there are other types of iguanas from different habitats that look and act completely different. There are water, desert, tree, and land iguanas. Rainforest iguanas, which are tree iguanas, are usually green in color and live in tropical trees. You will find mostly green iguanas in the rainforest, but some have a blue or reddish coloring.

    Appearance and Behavior

    • Spikes along the iguanas back

      Adult iguanas in the rainforest can grow to between 4 and 7 feet in length, including their tail. Iguana scales are very water resistant and can be a bright green or a greenish gray in color. Their coloring enables them to hide in the rainforest. They have pointy scales along their back for protection. Their claws and fingers are long, so they can grasp branches and climb trees. Iguanas have sharp teeth and powerful jaws used to grasp branches. Their tail is very powerful, and they will swing it with force if needed. The tail can break off and grow back if a predator has hold of it. Iguanas are diurnal and sleep at night and wake during the day. Because rainforest iguanas live near water, they can swim quite well whenever they need to.

    Diet

    • Iguanas are usually herbivores, but occasionally omnivores. In other words, rainforest iguanas will eat mainly leaves, fruit, and flowers, but occasionally insects, eggs or small vertebrates. The rainforest habitat is near water where an iguana can get a drink whenever they want. Both male and female iguanas store fat under their neck as storage when food is scarce.

    Habitat

    • Rainforest iguanas spend most of their time 40 feet up in the trees of the rainforest. They can jump from tree limb to tree limb if startled by a predator. They are able to fall from a tall tree with out getting hurt. When they do climb down from the trees to eat, drink, find a sunny spot or lay eggs, they are swift runners if necessary. In locations where the rainforest is being destroyed, so are the iguanas.

    Reproduction

    • Iguanas are solitary creatures and only get together to mate or gather in a sunny location to get warm. Females lay about 50 eggs at a time in a burrow in the ground. The female leaves her eggs and never returns. Only three to 10 babies will survive hatching and taking care of themselves. Baby iguanas are not fully-grown or able to reproduce until nearly 2 years old.