Rhinoceros iguana

Description

This stocky iguana is primarily ground-dwelling, rarely climbing trees like many other iguana species do. Its habitat is rocky and dry areas without much wooded coverage in Santo Domingo, Haiti and Mona Island, close to Puerto Rico, generally situated in coastal lowlands, keys and small rocky islands close to the coast, or in lakes or swamps.
Colouring is brown and grey tones, and it is characterised by the presence of a horn-shaped protuberance on top of its head, more developed on males, the reason for its name. Males are much bigger than females.
Diurnal, they spend the night hidden away in underground dens. To rest, they also take shelter in cracks in rocks, caves or holes in trees during the day. Males are territorial and defend their terrain very aggressively against any competitor.
Females dig underground tunnels more than 1-m long with a small chamber at the end, where they lay up to 20 eggs. After 3 to 4 months the hatchlings emerge, almost 20-cm long, and are very active from the time they hatch.
Basically herbivorous, they eat seeds, flowers, leaves, tender shoots and fruits of different plant species, including cacti. They very occasionally also eat insects, eggs, land crabs and even carrion, especially the remains of sea birds and fish that wash up onto the beach.
This species is in danger of extinction due to the degradation of its habitat, overhunting for human consumption and being prey to domestic and wild animals introduced on the islands where they live.
The Barcelona Zoo participates in the European Studbook (ESB) for this species in captivity.