Fiji iguana sitting on a piece of wood

Fiji iguana

Blue and green, rarely seen
Type
lizard

Reptiles

Area
Pacific Islands Oceania
Pacific Islands
Endangered Status

Endangered

facts

size
21 inches
in length
An average soccer ball is 8.65 inches tall.
fiji iguana compare to the size of a soccer ball
food
plants
leaves, fruit, flowers
herbivore
Plant-based diet
habitat
rainforest,
coastal swamps, forest
Rainforest habitat leaves

description

Fiji banded iguana climbing a rainforest tree branch

Color me camouflaged

Found on the islands of Fiji and Tonga, this tropical lizard’s bright blue and green colors keep it camouflaged in the treetops where it usually spends most of its life. It grips tree bark with its long, spindly toes and sharp claws as it scurries from one branch to the next in search of food.

Male Fiji banded iguana displaying its name-sake white bands

Catching some rays

Fiji banded iguanas feed during the day. In between meals, they bask on branches in the sun. Like most lizards, these iguanas are able to make their skin darken when exposed to the sun. The dark color absorbs more of the sun’s rays, which helps the iguana warm up more quickly.

Baby Fiji banded iguana hatching from its egg

Impressive nests

Female Fiji banded iguanas leave the treetops to lay eggs. First, a female uses her feet and jaws to dig a nest just a little longer than her body. After she lays 3 to 6 small eggs, she covers them with soil and leaf litter and pats the top down with her head. Then, it’s back up into the trees. When the eggs hatch, the little iguanas must find their own food and a safe place to hide.