Green Iguana

Green Iguana facts at a glance

What is a group of green iguanas called?

Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .

Behavior and life in the trees

Green iguanas are arboreal, spending most of their time high in the rainforest canopy where they bask in the sun and feed on leaves. They are strong climbers and surprisingly good swimmers, often dropping from branches into rivers to escape predators. A row of spines along the back and a large flap of skin under the chin, called a dewlap, help them display to rivals and regulate temperature.

Diet and feeding

Despite their fierce appearance, green iguanas are almost entirely herbivorous. Adults eat leaves, flowers, and fruit, and they rely on warmth to digest this fibrous plant material. In captivity they need a varied diet of leafy greens and vegetables, as too much protein can damage their kidneys.

Habitat and range

Green iguanas are native to a wide band of the Americas, from Mexico and Central America through much of tropical South America, usually near rivers and lakes. They have also been introduced to places such as Florida and several Caribbean and Pacific islands, where they can become invasive. They favor warm, humid lowland forest.

As a pet

Green iguanas are widely sold as pets but are challenging to keep well. They grow large, need spacious enclosures with strong UVB lighting, high humidity, and warm basking areas, and can deliver painful scratches, bites, and tail whips if stressed. Many are surrendered when owners underestimate their size and care needs.

Did you know? Green Iguana facts

• The green iguana is a large, mostly plant-eating lizard native to the rainforests of Central and South America.
• Green iguanas are herbivores. They eat leaves, flowers, and fruit in the wild, and in captivity they do best on leafy greens and vegetables with limited fruit and no animal protein.
• Adult green iguanas commonly reach 1.2 to 1.7 m (4 to 5.6 ft) in total length, with the tail making up more than half of that. Large males can be heavy and powerful.
• Green iguanas often live 10 to 15 years, and well-cared-for pets can live 20 years or more. Poor diet and inadequate lighting are common reasons captive iguanas die young.
• They can be rewarding but are not beginner pets. They grow large, need large enclosures with UVB lighting and high humidity, and can be defensive, so they suit experienced keepers willing to commit space and time.
• Conservation: Least Concern (IUCN).

Diet & feeding

Green Iguana feeds primarily as a herbivore. Green iguanas are arboreal, spending most of their time high in the rainforest canopy where they bask in the sun and feed on leaves. They are strong climbers and surprisingly good swimmers, often dropping from branches into rivers to escape predators. A row of spines along t

Adaptations

• Green iguanas are arboreal, spending most of their time high in the rainforest canopy where they bask in the sun and feed on leaves. They are strong climbers and surprisingly good swimmers, often dropping from branches into rivers to escape predators. A row of spines along the back and a large flap of skin under the chin, called a dewlap, help them display to rivals and regulate temperature.
• Despite their fierce appearance, green iguanas are almost entirely herbivorous. Adults eat leaves, flowers, and fruit, and they rely on warmth to digest this fibrous plant material. In captivity they need a varied diet of leafy greens and vegetables, as too much protein can damage their kidneys.

Behaviour & ecology

• Green iguanas are arboreal, spending most of their time high in the rainforest canopy where they bask in the sun and feed on leaves. They are strong climbers and surprisingly good swimmers, often dropping from branches into rivers to escape predators. A row of spines along the back and a large flap of skin under the chin, called a dewlap, help them display to rivals and regulate temperature.
• Despite their fierce appearance, green iguanas are almost entirely herbivorous. Adults eat leaves, flowers, and fruit, and they rely on warmth to digest this fibrous plant material. In captivity they need a varied diet of leafy greens and vegetables, as too much protein can damage their kidneys.
• Green iguanas are native to a wide band of the Americas, from Mexico and Central America through much of tropical South America, usually near rivers and lakes. They have also been introduced to places such as Florida and several Caribbean and Pacific islands, where they can become invasive. They favor warm, humid lowland forest.

Communication

• Scent marking, body posture, and head-bobbing or tail signals communicate threat and dominance.
• Vocalisations are limited in many reptiles but hissing or bellowing occurs in some groups.

Habitat & range

Tropical rainforest canopy near water

Ecological role

Green Iguana shapes vegetation through grazing or browsing and serves as prey for larger predators where ranges overlap.

Conservation status of the Green Iguana

Sources & references

This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Green Iguana:

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  Conservation status (Least Concern) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Iguana iguana.

• IUCN Red List — Iguana iguana.

  Conservation status (Least Concern) and population trends.

• Animal Diversity Web — Iguana iguana. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

  Life history, morphology, and range.

• Wikipedia — Green Iguana.

  General taxonomy and overview (cross-check primary sources).

• Global Animal Guide editorial standards

  How we research, source, review, and update every guide for accuracy.