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Lesser Antillean Iguana
Paignton Zoo is home to one very charismatic lesser Antillean iguana named Peter, who lives in Tropical Trails.
Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Squamata
Family:
Iguanidae
About the lesser Antillean iguana
The Lesser Antillean iguana is a large, robust Caribbean reptile that can reach 120–150 centimetres in total length. Typically green to olive in colour, it inhabits dry forest, coastal woodland, and scrub habitats.
A herbivorous browser, it feeds on leaves, flowers, and fruit. Males are territorial, especially during the breeding season.
Endemic to the islands of Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Barthélemy, this species is particularly vulnerable to hybridisation with green iguanas, a non-native species that was introduced to the northern Lesser Antilles.
Conservation
This species is classified as Critically Endangered, with invasive green iguanas, habitat loss, and predation affecting populations across the Lesser Antilles.