The land iguana has a thicker body and a much different color than the dark gray marine iguana. Nikon D800, Nikon 200-400mm f/4
It’s Iguana Week here at Visual Adventures where we celebrate the odd, yet somehow beautiful Galapagos iguanas. Check back each day for cool facts about these creatures along with photographs of the iguana in their native environment.
The Galapagos Islands are home to another large iguana species known as the Galapagos land iguana. Like their marine cousins, these reptiles are active during the day and maintain their body temperature by basking in the sun. During the heat of the day, these large iguanas seek out shade, but at night, land iguanas sleep in burrows.
Galapagos land iguana at sunset. Nikon D800, Nikon 200-400mm f/4.
Land iguanas are omnivorous, but they tend to eat primarily plants, including the pads of prickly-pear cactus tree. They will supplement their diet with insects and carrion if available. It takes eight to fifteen years for the land iguana to reach maturity, and many will live up to 50 years.
Our next photo adventure to the Galapagos is set for September 5-14, 2014 and this time we’re running it in conjunction with renowned photographer Tim Vollmer of Iceland. We’ve chartered our own private expedition yacht specifically for our own use during the adventure. More info and sign up here: Galapagos Photo Adventure.
