Galapagos Land Iguana by David Whited

Galapagos Land Iguana

David Whited

Galapagos Land Iguana

Digital photography

Inv: PH-1648

The Galápagos land iguana (*Conolophus subcristatus*, along with a couple of related species on other islands) is a large, yellow-to-golden-brown reptile that can grow over a meter long and live for 50–60 years, spending its days basking in the sun and feeding mostly on cactus pads, fruit, and flowers — a diet that also provides most of the water it needs in the arid lowlands it inhabits. It has a spiny crest running down its back, powerful claws for digging burrows, and a notably slower, more deliberate demeanor than its smaller marine iguana cousins, with which it can occasionally interbreed on islands like South Plaza where their ranges overlap. Land iguanas nearly vanished from several islands due to introduced predators like dogs, cats, and pigs, and while conservation efforts including captive breeding and eradication of invasive species have helped some populations recover, they remain classified as Vulnerable, with ongoing habitat protection critical to their survival.

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Additional Details

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