Where Do Iguanas Live?

Of the approximately 40 species of iguanas currently identified, around 36 are distributed in countries on the American continent. The remaining four are native to the Fiji Islands, an archipelago composed of numerous islands of Oceania in the South Pacific.

With this in mind, we look at where iguanas live according to species:

• Melanesian iguanas (Brachylophus spp.): Oceania (South Pacific).
• Galapagos land iguanas (Conolophus spp.): endemic to the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador.
• Spinytail iguanas (Ctenosaura spp. ): native to Mexico and Central America.
• Rock iguanas (Cyclura spp.): native to the islands of the West Indies.
• Desert iguanas (Dipsosaurus spp.): distributed between the United States and Mexico.
• Green iguanas (Iguana spp.): range from Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America.
• Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus): endemic to the Galapagos Islands.

While this article focuses on where iguanas live, you can take a look at our article on what iguanas eat to discover more about these lizards.

As e have seen, the population distribution of iguanas is wide-ranging. This means their habitat can be quite diverse, with different iguanas adapting to different ecosystems. Perhaps the most extreme example is the marine iguana which are highly adapted to living in marine aquatic environments. Other iguanas may also be able to swim, but they are not adapted in the same way.

With this in mind, we take a look at some of the habitats of iguanas according to their species of genus:

Melanesian iguanas

Melanesian iguanas include species such as Gau iguana (Brachylophus gau) and Central Fijian banded iguana (Brachylophus bulabula), among others. They are endemic to the Fiji Islands and inhabit places such as:

• Dense forests
• Humid forests
• Dry forests
• Degraded forests
• Coastal dry forests
• Areas of volcanic origin

Galapagos land iguanas

In the case of the Galapagos land iguanas, the species known as the Galapagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus), the Galapagos pink land iguana (Conolophus marthae) and the Barrington land iguana (Conolophus pallidus) have been identified. The habitat of these iguanas includes the following:

• Dry areas
• Small shrub areas
• Scrub areas
• Cactus areas
• Dry and rocky environments

Spinytail iguanas

Then we find the spinytail iguanas, of which 18 species have been identified and classified in the genus Ctenosaura. Some examples are the Oaxaca spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura oaxacana), Baja California spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura hemilopha), Mexican spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura acanthura), Sonoran spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura macrolopha), black iguana (Ctenosaura similis) and Motagua spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura praeocularis). The main habitats of these iguanas are:

• Tropical dry forests
• Mountainous areas
• Arid tropical zones
• Thickets
• Subhumid tropical forests
• Evergreen forests
• Deciduous forests
• Mangroves
• Wetlands
• Secondary successional forests
• Grasslands
• Coastal lagoons
• Bed sheets
• Sandy beaches

Rock Iguanas

As for rock iguanas, 11 species have been identified so far. Examples include the Grand Cayman blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi), Cuban rock iguana (Cyclura nubila), Anegada rock iguana (Cyclura pinguis), Jamaican iguana (Cyclura collei) and northern Bahamian rock iguana (Cyclura cychlura). Habitat types of these iguanids include:

• Dry forests
• Thickets
• Fruit farms
• Coastal sandy scrub
• Rocky thickets
• Rocky forests
• Limestone Hills

Desert Iguanas

Only two species of desert iguana are officially recognized. These are the common desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) and the Catalina desert iguana (Dipsosaurus catalinensis). As their name suggests their habitat includes desert areas with the following features:

• Sandy stream areas
• Rocky slopes
• Deserts with creosote bushes
• Subtropical arid shrub areas

Green Iguanas

There are also two species of green iguanas, which correspond to the Lesser Antilliean iguana (Iguana delicatissima) and the common green iguana (Iguana iguana). They live in:

• Dry scrubland
• Riverine forests
• Mangroves
• Tropical forests
• Dry forests
• Gallery forests
• Savannas with few trees
• Xerophilous islands
• Humid forests

Marine Iguana

Finally, we find the marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), the only member of its genus. As their name suggests, the marine iguana lives in rocky areas of the coasts where it frequently dives into the sea to look for food. In the case of females, they nest in the interior of the islands.

Discover more about lizards that can swim with our article on types of aquatic reptiles.

Conservation actions for different iguana species include the designation of protected areas in order to safeguard their well-being. One of the most important safeguards if limiting the effects of human activities, especially those which destroy iguana habitats. Some of the protected areas where iguanas live are the following:

• Yadua Island National Park (Crested Iguana Sanctuary)
• Galapagos National Park
• Sierra de la Laguna UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
• Cerralvo Island Protected Natural Area
• Gulf of California Biosphere Reserve
• Gulf of Mexico Coast Protected Area
• Protected Areas of Bavispe, Tutuaca and Sierra de Álamos-Cuchujaqui River
• Gulf of California Islands Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO)
• Mojave National Park
• Joshua Tree National Monument
• Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
• Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
• Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
• Cabeza Prieta Wilderness Area
• Ironwood Forest National Monument
• Loreto Bay National Park
• Les Îles de la Petite Terre National Park (Guadeloupe)
• Quill and Boven National Park on St. Eustatius
• Chancel Island National Park
• Domaniale Biological Reserve of the Montagne Pelée (Martinique)

If you want to see iguanas in the wild, it is very important that you do not disturb them. Observe without interacting directly and follow the recommendations of the staff of the conservation areas mentioned above. Now that you know where iguanas live, if you are as passionate about these reptiles as we are, keep learning by checking out our related articles on the most common diseases in green iguanas and different names for male and female iguanas.

If you want to read similar articles to Where Do Iguanas Live?, we recommend you visit our Facts about the animal kingdom category.