Check out Australia Zoo’s Green Iguana!

Did you know that not all green iguanas are actually green? Keep your eyes peeled for our Wandering Wildlife Team and see for yourself!

Native to Central and South America, these arboreal reptiles will spend most of their time navigating the trees of tropical rainforests.  Using their long, sharp claws, they effortlessly move through the trees in search of food. They can vary in colour, from blue, orange, red, pale pink and lavender, making them highly adaptable to changing environments and the ultimate camouflage expert! Green iguanas are primarily herbivores, dining on leaves, fruits, flowers and the occasional snail or leaf-dwelling insect.

The green iguana has what is known as a ‘third-eye’, called a parietal eye, right in the middle of its forehead!  Although it doesn’t function the same way as its other two eyes, it does detect differences in light, detecting changes in day length and seasons, thus being important for various reproductive events. Crikey, that’s cool!

Currently habitat destruction and poaching for the skin and pet trades are the largest threats to these lizards in the wild.