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VU
Vulnerable
A
Animalia
E
Endemic
Fernandina •
Isabela •
Santiago •
Santa Cruz •
North Seymour •
Baltra •
South Plaza
The Galapagos land iguana is one of four species of iguanas found in the Galapagos Islands and is typically the only land-dwelling iguana in its habitat. However, on Wolf Volcano in northern Isabela Island, it shares its range with the distinctively colored Pink Iguana (C. marthae). In coastal regions, the land iguana’s territory sometimes overlaps with that of the marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), which is adapted to aquatic life with its blunt snout and laterally flattened tail.
The Galapagos land iguana is one of three species of land iguanas endemic to the Galapagos Islands, along with the Santa Fe land iguana and the Galapagos pink land iguana. These iguanas are easily recognizable by their yellow skin with patches of white, black, and brown. They have short heads, powerful hind legs, and sharp claws, but despite their formidable appearance, they are primarily herbivores, feeding on prickly pear cacti. They have a mutualistic relationship with finches, which often perch on their backs to pick off ticks and other parasites.
The population of Galapagos land iguanas has suffered a significant decline over the past 150 years, leading to their local extinction on Santiago Island until they were reintroduced in 2019. Females are known to travel long distances to find the perfect nesting site, where they will lay a clutch of around 20 eggs. After laying, the female guards her nest to protect it from other females that might dig up the eggs while searching for a nesting spot. Males also defend their territories, using head bobbing, tail thrashing, and biting to ward off rivals. The eggs hatch after 85 to 110 days, but it can take the hatchlings up to a week to dig out of the nest. Young iguanas are highly vulnerable to predators for the first few years of their lives, but the risk decreases as they grow larger. They reach maturity between eight and 15 years of age and can live up to 60 years.