• MARINE IGUANA
    The only lizard truly at home
    in a marine environment,
    the marine iguana is a
    great swimmer and can
    stay underwater for up to
    an hour. This reptile
    splits its time between
    sunbathing on the beach
    and taking a dip in the ocean to cool off
    and cruise for food. This iguana thrives only
    on the isolated Galapagos Islands, 600 miles
    off the western coast of the South American.

    SOLAR HEATED: The saw-like ridge of spines on the
    iguana’s back not only give it sinister appearance,
    but also helps regulate its body temperature as the creature
    basks in the sun.

    COLOR HIM FRIENDLY: A marine iguana’s skin is
    usually black and gray, but the male’s scales often turn red or
    green during mating season.


    Creature Features Species: Amblyrynchus cristatus
    Size: Length up to 5 ft:
    Weight up to 22lbs.
    Food: Seaweed that grows
    near rocky coasts.
    Habitat: Coasts and Coastal
    Waters of the Galapagos islands
    Lifespan: Up to 40 years



    A Day at the Beach    Each day the marine iguana warms up by catching a few rays
    on the rocky coasts of its island hideway. Then it drives into the
    cold Pacific Ocean, waving its long tail back and forth for
    both propulsion and navigation,
    until it finds a rich growth of
    seaweed. It rips through the
    vegetation with sharp
    teeth. This master swimmer
    stays underwater and munches away for up to an hour at depths up to 50 ft.