In Costa Rica, if you look up in the trees at almost any time you will never know what you might see. Birds, monkeys, sloths, squirrels, olingos, raccoons, or . . . . an iguana. Do you see the iguana in this photo?Iguanas spend most of their time in trees. A lizard this large looks like it should be lumbering along the ground, and iguanas are often seen on the ground. In fact, in Tamarindo I have seen iguanas walking along beside the sidewalk right in the middle of town.
There are 38 species of iguanas in Costa Rica. This is a green iguana, also called a common iguana. In Spanish it is a garrobo, and its scientific name is the redundant iguana iguana.
Green iguanas reach 2 meters (6.5 feet) in length and they will climb as high as 20 m. (65 ft.) in trees. As adults, they eat leaves, twigs and fruit, but adolescent iguanas prefer insects. They walk very slowly, but if they are threatened and they are on a branch above a river, they can drop down into the river and swim away underwater.
38 species in Costa Rica? Wow! I've seen a lot mainly on the ground at Manuel Antonio Park, but these who leave on the canopy are my favourites.
ReplyDeleteWhat a handsome fellow! He is well camouflaged in that tree. You would have to look close to see him.
ReplyDeleteAs long as he doesn't jump down on unsuspecting walkers. Boy, wouldn't that scare the beejesus out of you.
ReplyDeleteGreat shot of the iguana in the tree. One of my favorite experiences was walking back from a refreshing lunch just down the road and having a big iguana walking along the road with us. He seemed very content to walk along with the people.
ReplyDeleteWow. Nicely spotted. 38 species, I had no idea!
ReplyDeleteWow. Well spotted, Dave! I would never have seen it if I walked right beside that tree!
ReplyDeleteLast time I held an iguana was when in Junior High. I like its rough skin :).
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