If you’ve ever visited Key West, then you know that lizards and chickens are a common sight, freely roaming about. On a recent trip to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, we encountered one very bold and incredibly LARGE iguana mingling about and munching on picnic-goers’ dropped scraps. Check out the video below — click play at the bottom of the video screen.
Iguanas in Key West
While iguanas are fascinating and fun, they are actually an invasive species in Key West. In fact, iguanas are not native to the area; they are thought to have arrived there by ship from Central and South America. And they’re not in danger of extinction, given that there aren’t a lot of their natural predators in the area. You’re actually allowed to hunt iguanas since they are so invasive, with some estimates putting their numbers in the thousands.
This iguana was easily around 4 feet long.
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This iguana was easily around 4 feet long.
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This iguana was easily around 4 feet long.
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What Do Iguanas Eat?
Key West iguanas eat native plants as well as sea turtle and bird eggs, tree snails, and native insects. Their diet has a significant impact on the ecosystem, which is yet another reason they’re viewed as a problem. Given the large tourist population, which more often than not is intrigued rather than bothered by these creatures, iguanas are also provided access to a variety of human foods — like this one at the state park. This one munched on watermelon, crackers, and even a bit of a grilled cheese sandwich. No word on whether it had an upset stomach or not.
This iguana was enjoying the sandy setting, and check out its orange limbs.
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This iguana was enjoying the sandy setting, and check out its orange limbs.
©
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This iguana was enjoying the sandy setting, and check out its orange limbs.
©
How Big Do Iguanas Get?
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, male iguanas in the Sunshine State can grow larger than 5 feet long (head to tail) and weigh up to 17 pounds, while females may reach 5 feet but are much lighter at around 7 pounds. We suspect this iguana was around 3.5-4 feet long. And we also learned that the males typically turn orange during mating season. So it looks like this one may have been a feller looking for love — as well as something for the munchies.
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