Green Iguana Trivia

Call me crazy but laundry is one of my favorite chores. I love to watch the clothes dance in the breeze as they dry on the line. The fresh scent of summertime fills the house as I put them away in dresser drawers. Little did I know that my beloved laundry ritual would be interrupted that morning.

Accidentally knocking over the folded table umbrella, I bent down to replace it in the corner of the patio. Suddenly, a mid-sized green iguana leapt from the folds and scurried across the tiles to his sanctuary in the flower bushes. My screams echoed throughout the neighborhood. After assuring everyone that I was fine, I tried to laugh it off and catch my breath. After all, iguanas are harmless right? Well, they are certainly popular.

When I arrived in Puerto Vallarta, it didn’t take long to realize that these four-legged reptiles were everywhere. They were depicted in art, books, and advertising, even creative mixed drink menus. In fact, it seemed like everyone was playing the “I Spy with My Little Eye a Green Iguana” game. A tourist would point to a tree while onlookers squinted and swayed from side to side. Once the iguana was spotted, cameras would immortalize it in digital photo albums around the world.

So what exactly is a green iguana? What do they eat? Will they crawl into my lap for an afternoon siesta? Perhaps you are wondering the same things? Well, after doing a little research, I thought that you and your family would enjoy some “Green Iguana Trivia”.

What are green iguanas?
Green iguanas are large reptiles that range in “greenness” from bright to dull, depending upon their age and gender.

Where do they live?
Green iguanas live high in the trees. They like to have water nearby and who wouldn’t in this hot tropical weather? Green iguanas are native to Central and South America but can also be found in Texas, Florida, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean Islands.

How long can they grow?
Green iguanas can grow up to 6.6 feet or 2 meters in length.

How much can a green iguana weigh?
A mature iguana can weigh up to 20 pounds or 9.1 kilograms.

Can they swim?
Yes, iguanas are powerful swimmers using their strong tails propel them. When iguanas need to escape from predators like hawks, they have been known to “fall” from trees 40-50 feet high and dive into the water to swim away unharmed.

How do iguanas protect themselves?
Iguanas lift their head, bobbing side to side and displaying the dewlap (bigger in males) under the chin. They also have spines along their back. If attacked, iguanas use their teeth, claws and whip-like tails. In fact, if an enemy has clutched the tail, it can break off allowing the iguana to escape and eventually grow another.

Can an iguana bite?
An iguana’s teeth are sharp enough to shred leaves and can even break human skin but he is more interested in flowers, leaves and fruit. Iguanas are herbivorous, which is a fancy word for vegetarian. Unless you corner and agitate an iguana, he will leave you alone. One might say, “They are more afraid of you than you are of them.”

Does an iguana need protection from the bright sun?
You would think that an iguana would need some SPF 100 with all of that sunbathing. However, their bodies need to soak up the ultraviolet rays in order to produce vitamin D.

What is on the top of an iguana’s head?
Iguanas have a “third eye” that does not function like the other two. Also called a parietal eye, it is a photosensory organ that detects color change and overhead movement. Iguanas have excellent vision, noting shapes and motion at long distances. They can even distinguish between colors in bright light.

How many eggs does a female iguana lay?
A female lays between 20-71 eggs one time a year. She might protect her “burrow” from predators, but does not return to greet or raise her newborns. Not all eggs make it to “hatching time”, but if they do, the babies stay in juvenile groups for about one year.

Do they live in families?
Most iguanas prefer the single life but they do enjoy getting together to sunbath at a local “hot spot”.

Can you eat a green iguana?
Actually, Central and South American cultures have been eating green iguanas for over 7000 years. They say that the meat tastes like, you guessed it, chicken! I think that I will stick with my chips and salsa after a full morning of iguana surprises and fresh laundry.

For more information about green iguanas, check out my sources at www.wikipedia.com and www.nationalgeographic.com.