Grand Cayman Blue Iguana
Our Dino is a Hybrid Cyclura Lewisi Iguana who was produced by Reptile Function in California. Dino was hatched in 2015 and has been with us since he was just a few weeks old. He even has a crooked tail (from birth) to fit in with all the other misfits here. He comes to the occasional event and has a special enclosure just for him in the educational trailer.
Common Name: Grand Cayman Blue Iguana
Scientific Name: Cyclura Lewisi
Type: Iguana
Diet: Herbivore
Average Life Span: Up to 70 years
Size: 5 ft in length
Weight: 30 lbs
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Current Population Trend: Increasing
Scientific Name: Cyclura Lewisi
Type: Iguana
Diet: Herbivore
Average Life Span: Up to 70 years
Size: 5 ft in length
Weight: 30 lbs
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Current Population Trend: Increasing
About the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana
The blue iguana, also known as the Grand Cayman ground iguana, Grand Cayman blue iguana or Cayman Island rock iguana, is an endangered species of lizard endemic to the island of Grand Cayman. Previously listed as a subspecies of the Cuban iguana (Cyclura nubila), it was reclassified as a separate species in 2004 because of genetic differences discovered four years earlier. The blue iguana is one of the longest-living species of lizard (possibly up to 69 years).
The preferred habitat for the blue iguana is rocky, sunlit, open areas in dry forests or near the shore, as the females must dig holes in the sand to lay eggs in June and July. The blue iguana's herbivorous diet includes plants, fruits, and flowers. Its coloration is tan to gray with a bluish cast that is more pronounced during the breeding season and more so in males. It is large and heavy-bodied with a dorsal crest of short spines running from the base of the neck to the end of the tail.
The blue iguana is the largest native land animal on Grand Cayman with a total nose-to-tail length of 5 ft and weighing as much as 30 lb. It may be the heaviest species of iguana and most massive lizard in the Western Hemisphere. Its body length is 20–30 inches with a tail equal in length. The blue iguana's toes are articulated to be efficient in digging and climbing trees. Although not known to be arboreal, the blue iguana has been observed climbing trees 15 feet and higher. The male is larger than the female by one third of his body size. The mature male's skin color ranges from dark grey to turquoise blue, whereas the female is more olive green to pale blue.
In prior years, the blue iguana was critically endangered and down to single digits left in the wild. Captive breeding and release programs have increased the numbers into the hundreds and upgraded them to endangered. The cylura lewisi hybrid is a mix of a cuban rock iguana and a grand cayman blue iguana and is the only legal type of grand cayman blue iguana allowed to be kept in captivity in the US.
Source: Wikipedia
The blue iguana, also known as the Grand Cayman ground iguana, Grand Cayman blue iguana or Cayman Island rock iguana, is an endangered species of lizard endemic to the island of Grand Cayman. Previously listed as a subspecies of the Cuban iguana (Cyclura nubila), it was reclassified as a separate species in 2004 because of genetic differences discovered four years earlier. The blue iguana is one of the longest-living species of lizard (possibly up to 69 years).
The preferred habitat for the blue iguana is rocky, sunlit, open areas in dry forests or near the shore, as the females must dig holes in the sand to lay eggs in June and July. The blue iguana's herbivorous diet includes plants, fruits, and flowers. Its coloration is tan to gray with a bluish cast that is more pronounced during the breeding season and more so in males. It is large and heavy-bodied with a dorsal crest of short spines running from the base of the neck to the end of the tail.
The blue iguana is the largest native land animal on Grand Cayman with a total nose-to-tail length of 5 ft and weighing as much as 30 lb. It may be the heaviest species of iguana and most massive lizard in the Western Hemisphere. Its body length is 20–30 inches with a tail equal in length. The blue iguana's toes are articulated to be efficient in digging and climbing trees. Although not known to be arboreal, the blue iguana has been observed climbing trees 15 feet and higher. The male is larger than the female by one third of his body size. The mature male's skin color ranges from dark grey to turquoise blue, whereas the female is more olive green to pale blue.
In prior years, the blue iguana was critically endangered and down to single digits left in the wild. Captive breeding and release programs have increased the numbers into the hundreds and upgraded them to endangered. The cylura lewisi hybrid is a mix of a cuban rock iguana and a grand cayman blue iguana and is the only legal type of grand cayman blue iguana allowed to be kept in captivity in the US.
Source: Wikipedia