December 01, 2006

Raising iguanas: Part II

Iguana taxonomy

– Reign: animal
– Phylum: coprdata
– Class: Reptilia
– Order: Squamata
– Suborder: Sauria
– Family: Iguanidae
– Gender: Iguana
– Specie: Iguana
– Scietific name: Iguana iguana
– Common names: Iguana or green iguana.

Green iguanas live in wild condition in the tropical forests from the north of Mexico until Peru and the south of Brazil, in countries and islands that present moisture and high temperature. Iguanas live in the mountains, over the trees at a height of 4.5 to 9 feet to reach the sun beams they need to keep their inner heat, since they receive from the outside the heat they need for their metabolism: they can not generate it. They spend most of their day climbing branches and taking the sun in places near the water. Their bright green color allows them to be protected against depredators among the vegetables they eat: leaves, flowers and fruits. Elder iguanas live on top of the trees where there is lighter and it is drier, on the other hand, t young iguanas live nearer the ground since they require an ambient with more humidity.

Iguanas are not in danger of extinction in any place of the world nowadays, but they were extinct in Barbados Islands. However, they could be in danger if their commercialization is not adequately regulated.

Most pet shops sell iguanas born and raised in breeding places for this aim, and they are not taken out of humid jungles. In Central America is very common finding iguanas farms that raise them to sell them as pets and to eat them as well.

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