RANGE: Central and South America, Mexico to Brazil
HABITAT: Tropical forests
SIZE: Up to 6 ½ feet at maturity
The green iguana is a lizard with short powerful limbs and sharp claws living in the tropical rain forests of Central America, through northern South America to Brazil. See this photo of a green iguana in a tree and this close-up view of the head of the head and upper torso of a green iguana.
Green iguanas thrive in the forest setting, eating leaves, fruit, grass and occasionally, depending where it lives, carrion. As hunting and destruction of the rain forest removes their natural habitat, some have adapted to living in fields such as on farms and ranches with trees. Left alone, they can live up to 15 years.
The green iguana whips its tail in defense, but the tail is weak enough so it can break free if a predator catches it.
The green iguana has become extinct in some areas, and endangered in others. Long known as the "chickens of the trees," green iguanas have been eaten both as a delicacy and a staple food for at least 7,000 years. Recent studies and efforts to grow the iguana as a food staple are encouraging. “With consumers willing to pay more for the meat than fish, poultry, pork or beef, iguana farming can provide an economic incentive to 'grow' lizards and not to fell forests to create more space for growing crops or cattle. Local farmers, who once hunted the iguana, are now learning how to raise them for food and for income generation in the production of leather handicrafts. Fat and eggs are also used for medicinal purposes.
"Iguana Park", has also been established by FPIV near Oratina in Costa Rica as an eco-tourism facility and as an area to demonstrate and undertake further research on the sustainable use of forests. Dr Dagmar Werner, the founder and driving force behind the project, hopes that iguana farming can become part of Central American farming systems whilst also providing an incentive for reforestation. This in turn will help to counteract erosion, conserve water resources and enhance soil fertility. Although Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala are the current target areas of the project, the potential for iguana farming could spread from tropical forested areas in Mexico down to northern areas of Brazil and Peru, and to a number of Caribbean islands.” - Green Iguana: conservation and consumption.
