Rhinoceros Iguana

Cyclura cornuta

Reptile

Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing the rhinoceros iguana. These lizards get their common name for the large, horn-like scales on their heads: they resemble a rhinoceros. Rhinoceros iguanas are also known as rhino iguanas and horned ground iguanas. They are a type of rock iguana and are only found on the island of Hispaniola and surrounding small islands. Rhinoceros iguanas, unlike green iguanas, spend a lot of their time on the ground. They live in rocky habitats in dry scrub forests and arid woodlands. They are most frequently seen along the coast specifically in the southernmost part of the island. 

Rhinoceros iguanas are listed as endangered. They're threatened by habitat loss as well as invasive species like feral cats, dogs, and pigs. Humans also hunt rhinoceros iguanas as food. Other threats to these lizards include hawks, kestrels, and owls. Rhinoceros iguanas have dark, singularly colored scales to help them blend in with their environment. They also utilize rock crevices and self-dug burrows to hide from predators. These reptiles will bite and whip their tail if they feel threatened. They bob their head up and down and hiss to warn off potential threats. They also display against each other.

Rhinoceros iguanas, especially the males, are highly territorial. They'll fight over prime real estate in battles that can end in bloodshed! The best rhinoceros iguana territory includes multiple areas in which females can lay their eggs. A male rhinoceros iguana will mate with as many females as he can. This typically occurs at the start of the rainy season in May. The ladies lay anywhere from five to over twenty eggs just over a month later in a tunnel which she'll defend for the first few weeks after laying. The eggs incubate for about four months, though temperature can affect this. The babies are independent from birth. It's unknown how long rhinoceros iguanas live in the wild. They're known to reach at least twenty years of age in captivity and estimates suggest they can survive decades beyond this in the wild. It takes five to ten years for rhinoceros iguanas to reach reproductive maturity.

Male rhinoceros iguanas are slightly larger than females. They have larger horns and the fatty pads at the back of their head are more pronounced. It's unknown exactly why rhinoceros iguanas have these large rhino-like horns on their heads, but it's believed they may have something to do with disputes over territory. Even females fight over prime nesting spots! On average, these lizards reach about 20 inches (50cm) long from the tip of their nose to the base of their tail. A rhinoceros iguana's tail can be even longer than its body! They range in weight from 11 to 22 pounds (5-10kg) - which means these lizards can double Chester in weight!

Rhinoceros iguanas are primarily herbivorous and eat flowers, leaves, fruits, and seeds. They help with seed dispersal within their environment. Rhinoceros iguanas also take insect larvae like caterpillars as well as crabs. They'll also opportunistically eat carrion. If they find a good source of food, like a fruiting bush, they'll actively defend it from other members of their species. They're not the sharing type!

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