Uploaded on Feb 28, 2010
Green
iguanas live in a large cage outddors, eating, feeding, mating,
fighting, biting, and walking.
iguanas live in a large cage outddors, eating, feeding, mating,
fighting, biting, and walking.
Physical Appearance: Full-grown green
iguanas are usually between four and six feet, although they have been
known to grow up to seven feet long. This includes the tail, however,
which can make up about half the body length and, in addition to its
green color, has black stripes. Green iguanas, not surprisingly, are
green in color, but can be found in many different shade ranging from
bright green, to a dull, grayish-green. Their skin is rough, with a set
of pointy scales along the iguana's back. Green iguanas have long
fingers and claws to help them climb and grasp.
Geographic Range:
The green iguana is found over a large geographic area, from Mexico to
southern Brazil and Paraguay, as well as on the Caribbean Islands.
Adaptations:
Besides the long fingers and claws mentioned above, green iguanas have
many excellent interesting adaptations. Green iguanas have good senses
of hearing and smell, and superb vision. Their long tail is also quite
sharp, and is snapped in the air as a defense mechanism. The tail can
also break off if caught by a predator, but grows back without permanant
damage. Green iguana skin is very water resistant, and tough to avoid
cuts and scratches. The coloring of the skin helps camoulflage the green
iguana, which means that they blend in easily to their surroundings to
remain undetected by predators.
iguanas are usually between four and six feet, although they have been
known to grow up to seven feet long. This includes the tail, however,
which can make up about half the body length and, in addition to its
green color, has black stripes. Green iguanas, not surprisingly, are
green in color, but can be found in many different shade ranging from
bright green, to a dull, grayish-green. Their skin is rough, with a set
of pointy scales along the iguana's back. Green iguanas have long
fingers and claws to help them climb and grasp.
Geographic Range:
The green iguana is found over a large geographic area, from Mexico to
southern Brazil and Paraguay, as well as on the Caribbean Islands.
Adaptations:
Besides the long fingers and claws mentioned above, green iguanas have
many excellent interesting adaptations. Green iguanas have good senses
of hearing and smell, and superb vision. Their long tail is also quite
sharp, and is snapped in the air as a defense mechanism. The tail can
also break off if caught by a predator, but grows back without permanant
damage. Green iguana skin is very water resistant, and tough to avoid
cuts and scratches. The coloring of the skin helps camoulflage the green
iguana, which means that they blend in easily to their surroundings to
remain undetected by predators.
If they are etected however, and need to
escape quickly, these iguanas can dive from trees into water, and swim
well. Green iguanas are quite sturdy-- they can fall 40-50 feet to the
ground without getting hurt! Male green iguanas have a special flap of
skin called the dewlap. Male iguanas can raise their dewlap to appear
bigger than they really are, either to intimidate predators, or to
impressive females.
escape quickly, these iguanas can dive from trees into water, and swim
well. Green iguanas are quite sturdy-- they can fall 40-50 feet to the
ground without getting hurt! Male green iguanas have a special flap of
skin called the dewlap. Male iguanas can raise their dewlap to appear
bigger than they really are, either to intimidate predators, or to
impressive females.
Both male and female green iguanas can store fat
under their jaws and in their necks for times when there is not much
food available.
Habitat: Iguanas live in tropical rainforest
areas, generally in lower altitudes in areas near water sources, such as
rivers or streams. They spend most of their time high in the forest
canopy, about 40-50 feet above the ground.
Behaviour: Iguanas are
diurnal, meaning that they are awake during the day. They are also
cold-blooded, which means they do not produce their own body heat. In
other words, if it is cold, the iguana is cold too. So to stay warm,
green iguanas bask in the sun, lying on warm rocks as they soak up the
sun's heat.
Reproductive Cycle and Family Habits: Green
iguanas tend to live alone, but may be seen in groups occasionally in
good sunny basking spots. Iguanas lay many eggs at a time (about 50), in
holes inthe ground called burrows. They also dig pretend burrows to
confuse any animals that may be looking for eggs to eat. After female
iguanas lay the eggs, they leave them and do not return. When iguana
babies hatch, they grow up without care from their parents. Green
iguanas lay many eggs, but only 3-10 babies actually survive to be
adults. It takes green iguana eggs about 8-10 weeks to hatch, then takes
baby iguanas about 2 years to become mature adults.
Diet: Green
iguanas are omnivorous, so they eat both plants and meat. They tend to
eat mostly plants, though, especially leaves and fruits. Sometimes green
iguanas (especially young ones) will eat eggs, insects, and small
vertebrates.
Threats to Survival: Like many trpoical species, the
green iguana is also threatened by habitat destruction. The green
iguana is also a victim of the pet industry. Many people in the United
States and elsewhere want a green iguana for a pet, so there is a big
demand for their capture. Although many pet iguanas are now being raised
on iguana farms, capture from the wild has lowered their numbers. In
addition, some local populations of South America hunt the green iguana
for food.
Conservation Efforts: Laws have been made to protect
green iguanas from over-hunting and the pet-trade. Unfortunately, these
laws are not enforced very well. Many people are trying to develop
protected areas for the iguanas, and to educate local populations about
the importance of conservation.
under their jaws and in their necks for times when there is not much
food available.
Habitat: Iguanas live in tropical rainforest
areas, generally in lower altitudes in areas near water sources, such as
rivers or streams. They spend most of their time high in the forest
canopy, about 40-50 feet above the ground.
Behaviour: Iguanas are
diurnal, meaning that they are awake during the day. They are also
cold-blooded, which means they do not produce their own body heat. In
other words, if it is cold, the iguana is cold too. So to stay warm,
green iguanas bask in the sun, lying on warm rocks as they soak up the
sun's heat.
Reproductive Cycle and Family Habits: Green
iguanas tend to live alone, but may be seen in groups occasionally in
good sunny basking spots. Iguanas lay many eggs at a time (about 50), in
holes inthe ground called burrows. They also dig pretend burrows to
confuse any animals that may be looking for eggs to eat. After female
iguanas lay the eggs, they leave them and do not return. When iguana
babies hatch, they grow up without care from their parents. Green
iguanas lay many eggs, but only 3-10 babies actually survive to be
adults. It takes green iguana eggs about 8-10 weeks to hatch, then takes
baby iguanas about 2 years to become mature adults.
Diet: Green
iguanas are omnivorous, so they eat both plants and meat. They tend to
eat mostly plants, though, especially leaves and fruits. Sometimes green
iguanas (especially young ones) will eat eggs, insects, and small
vertebrates.
Threats to Survival: Like many trpoical species, the
green iguana is also threatened by habitat destruction. The green
iguana is also a victim of the pet industry. Many people in the United
States and elsewhere want a green iguana for a pet, so there is a big
demand for their capture. Although many pet iguanas are now being raised
on iguana farms, capture from the wild has lowered their numbers. In
addition, some local populations of South America hunt the green iguana
for food.
Conservation Efforts: Laws have been made to protect
green iguanas from over-hunting and the pet-trade. Unfortunately, these
laws are not enforced very well. Many people are trying to develop
protected areas for the iguanas, and to educate local populations about
the importance of conservation.
Some of these educational programs help
local populations find new ways of using the land, without permanantly
destroying it. For example, for people who want to continue to eat the
green iguana, programs are being developed to raise these animals for
food, instead of hunting wild ones. Tony Garel, at the Belize Zoo and
Tropical Education Center, is woking on one such project to conserve the
iguanas and educate local communities Tony has used captive breeding
techniques to increase green iguana populations, and has released some
of these iguanas into the wild.
local populations find new ways of using the land, without permanantly
destroying it. For example, for people who want to continue to eat the
green iguana, programs are being developed to raise these animals for
food, instead of hunting wild ones. Tony Garel, at the Belize Zoo and
Tropical Education Center, is woking on one such project to conserve the
iguanas and educate local communities Tony has used captive breeding
techniques to increase green iguana populations, and has released some
of these iguanas into the wild.
Category Pets+Animals
License - Standard YouTube License
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