Land Iguana (Galapagos)

  • Galapagos Wildlife: Galapagos Land Iguana © Neil Bruce

    Galapagos Land Iguana © Neil Bruce

  • Galapagos Wildlife: Galapagos Land Iguana © Roger Bates

    Galapagos Land Iguana © Roger Bates

Species Data

Common Name Galapagos land iguana
Scientific Name Conolophus subcristatus
Spanish Name Iguana terrestre de las Galápagos
Conservation Status

Galapagos Graphics: IUCN Red List Vulnerable © Dan Wright

Vulnerable 

Endemic/Native/Introduced

Endemic 

Size Up to 1 m
Average Lifespan over 55 years
Predators Hawks, owls, snakes, herons and introduced cats, dogs and pigs.
Food Herbivore (cactus pads, fruits, spines, and flowers)
Animal Class Reptile

Species Overview

There are three species of land iguana found in Galapagos. Conolophus subcristatus is found on 6 islands, Conolophus pallidus is found only on Santa Fe Island and Conolophus rosada is the famous pink iguana found on Wolf volcano on Isabela Island.

Land iguanas sleep in burrows at night, and have a special relationship with the Galapagos finches. The iguanas stretch their bodies and allow the finches to remove ticks from them.

They generally lay between 2 and 20 eggs and nests are guarded for a few days to prevent other females filling the nests with their own eggs. Meanwhile, male iguanas are protective over their territory and defend them by bobbing their heads, biting, and thrashing their tails.

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Species Data
Common Name Galapagos land iguana
Scientific Name Conolophus subcristatus
Spanish Name Iguana terrestre de las Galápagos
Conservation Status

Galapagos Graphics: IUCN Red List Vulnerable © Dan Wright

Vulnerable 

Endemic / Native / Introduced

Endemic 

Size Up to 1 m
Average Lifespan over 55 years
Predators Hawks, owls, snakes, herons and introduced cats, dogs and pigs.
Food Herbivore (cactus pads, fruits, spines, and flowers)
Animal Class Reptile