Once thought to be extinct for over 40 years, this large, plant-eating lizard was rediscovered in 1990 in the Hellshire Hills of southern Jamaica, a rugged, dry limestone forest region. Since then, it has become a symbol of hope for island conservation and a testament to what dedicated protection efforts can achieve. Endemic to Jamaica, the Jamaican iguana is found nowhere else on Earth, making it a vital part of the island’s natural heritage.

Jamaican iguanas have robust bodies, strong legs with sharp claws for climbing and digging, and a row of spiny scales running down their back and tail. Their coloration is typically grayish to blue-green, sometimes with a hint of turquoise, and can help them blend in with the limestone rocks and dry vegetation of their habitat. Males are generally larger than females and display territorial behavior during the breeding season.

These iguanas are strictly herbivorous, feeding on a variety of leaves, flowers, fruits, and shoots from native plant species. By consuming fruits and spreading seeds through their droppings, they play a critical role as seed dispersers, helping to shape and maintain the forest ecosystem. They spend most of their time basking on rocks or in sunny clearings, and when threatened, they retreat to burrows or rocky crevices where they can hide from predators.

When the Jamaican iguana was rediscovered in 1990, it was called “the Lazarus lizard” because it had seemingly come back from the dead — no confirmed sightings had occurred since the 1940s. Another fascinating detail is that hatchlings are bright green, which helps them blend into the leafy understory while avoiding predators like mongooses, which were introduced to Jamaica and have caused severe declines in native wildlife populations.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Jamaica

500-600

Official estimate

CR

2021