One of the rarest and most extraordinary lizards in the world, found only on the tiny Caribbean island of Utila, just off the coast of Honduras. While most spiny-tailed iguanas prefer rocky or dry habitats, this one has adapted perfectly to a swampy, salt-soaked world of tangled roots and tidal waters.

Physically, the Utila spiny-tailed iguana is a striking creature. They have long, muscular bodies and powerful tails lined with sharp, keeled scales that give the “spiny-tailed” group its name. Their coloration varies from dark gray or brown to black, often with subtle greenish or bluish tones that help them blend into the mangrove shadows. Males are usually larger and develop bright turquoise or blue hues during the breeding season—an incredible sight against the dark greens of their swampy home. Juveniles, in contrast, are pale gray with dark banding, making them harder for predators to spot among the roots and mud. Like many iguanas, they are expert climbers and swimmers, moving effortlessly between branches and through shallow water.

The Utila spiny-tailed iguana spends most of its time perched on mangrove roots or branches above brackish water, feeding on leaves, flowers, and fruits from the surrounding vegetation. Occasionally, it supplements its herbivorous diet with insects or crabs. Because mangroves are flooded at high tide, these iguanas have learned to retreat to higher branches or even burrow into dry pockets in the roots to stay safe.

With Utila being just about 13 kilometers (8 miles) long, its habitat is already extremely limited. Urban development, tourism, and habitat destruction have reduced the island’s mangrove forests, leaving the iguanas with fewer safe places to live and nest. For years, they were also hunted for food, which further threatened their numbers

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Honduras

<6,000

Official estimate

CR

2018

Honduran Caribbean Is.