This Marine Lizard Looks Just Like a Scary Sea Monster

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Meet the marine iguana – an animal that would give you a shock if you spotted it when scuba diving! These extraordinary reptiles have adapted to find food at sea because it is so scarce on their island. However, entering the sea is a very hazardous process. The waves crash against the rocks, and currents swirl dangerously. Only larger adults can withstand these forces and dare to enter the water. Not only are these iguanas strong swimmers, but they can dive to 30 feet with just one breath! Then, they walk along the sea floor, eating red and green algae. This is perfectly normal behavior for an iguana!

In fact, these guys are the only sea lizards on the planet. The iguanas in this clip have to eat fast because they are running out of breath, and the cool sea water is rapidly chilling their bodies. Their muscles will seize up if they stay underwater for over 10 minutes. Now they have the problem of getting back on land!

Where Do Marine Iguanas Normally Live?

The extraordinary reptiles are only found on the Galapagos Islands, which form an archipelago off the coast of South America. The ancestors of the iguanas you can see in this clip probably arrived on the islands on floating debris millions of years ago.

Now, they live on the steep rocky cliffs and low rock ledges of the intertidal zone of the islands. They also need to be near sandy areas to lay their eggs. As well as allowing them to access food, this habitat limits the number of predators that can get at them! It is only some hawks, owls, snakes, and crabs that prey on them. Sadly, many of them have been killed by feral predators, including rats, dogs, and cats. They are vulnerable to predation when they are cold because they cannot move effectively.

What Do Marine Iguanas Normally Eat?

Marine iguanas feed almost exclusively on marine algae. As you can see in this clip, the larger animals can dive during high tide. However, the small animals have to feed only in the intertidal zone during low tide. This highly specialized feeding method makes them vulnerable to changes in the marine algal flora. Unfortunately, this occurred between November 1982 and July 1983. During this time, abnormally high rainfall and sea levels, together with some other meteorological conditions, resulted in the high mortality of marine iguanas. They are currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, and their numbers are decreasing.