Desert Iguana

Desert iguanas do not fall in the category of large lizards. They have the built and body metabolism that makes them perfect for dry conditions, and are amongst the most heat tolerant reptiles in North America.

Discovery:
Desert iguanas were first discovered by Spencer Fullerton Baird and Frederic Girard in 1853. Edward Hallowell described them in 1855. He gave them the zoological name, Dipsosaurus dorsalis. The name Dipsosaurus is derived from the two Latin words; dipsa which means thirsty and saurus which means lizard. Dorsalis is also a Latin word meaning black.

Region:
This giant lizard can be easily spotted in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of South Eastern California. It also inhabits various regions in Southern Nevada, South Western Utah, South Central Arizona, Eastern and Southern Baja, North West Mexico and some Gulf of California's islands.

Features:
The desert iguana falls in the category of medium sized iguanas. It has a blunt head and reaches a length from 10 to 16 inches. They have a large round body and a long tail. The tail is in fact one and a half times the length of the body. It has powerful back legs which allow it to move swiftly. It has a brown head and its brown color diffuses into a reddish brown net-like pattern along the body. The tail is encircled with rows of dark spots. It is tanned with gray spots on the net and trunk.

Habitat:
Desert iguanas are inhabitants of arid, sandy, desert regions. In desert regions, they stay in burrows, particularly around the cactus plants. To keep their bodies cool they prefer to stay amongst rocks, creosote bushes and the abandoned burrows of the kangaroo rat. Desert iguanas prefer to stay in the cooler areas of the desert, and do not appear to be sluggish even at temperatures as high as 115 degree Fahrenheit. In the southern parts, desert iguanas inhabit the arid-subtropical areas and the deciduous forests.

Food habits:
Desert iguanas are vegetarian lizards, but they sometimes eat insects too. Flowers, fruits and plant foliage form their major food category. Like other lizards, the desert iguana also hunts for ants, beetles and other insects that come in its sight. In desert regions they mainly feed on the yellow flowers of the creosote bush.

Reproduction:
Desert iguanas leave their hibernation sometime around the mid of March and the mating season generally lasts for two months, May and June. During the breeding season, the Desert iguanas have a significant pink hue on the side of their bellies. A female desert iguana can lay just one clutch of eggs in a year. One clutch of eggs contains 2 to 10 eggs. They lay eggs in the months of May and June and the eggs take two months to hatch. The offspring come out in late July and August. The life span of a desert iguana is normally between 10-15 years.

Predators:
Among the various creatures that pose a threat to the desert iguana are birds of prey, foxes, rats, weasels and snakes. Like other lizards, they also puff up their body in face of a predator to avoid themselves from being extracted from their burrows. On being chased by a predator they can run at a speed of 15 miles/hour.

Human interaction:
Desert iguanas avoid coming in contact with humans. People residing in Mexico and California have often reported to spotting them hiding in the bushes in their garden or in rock crevices. Though they are not a part of the reptile trade, they can be tamed easily. In zoos they are kept in wide cages or 50 gallon breeder tanks. The cages are not tall like those of the green iguana but are still very spacious. When kept in captivity the diet still needs to consist of fruits and flowers. No extra protein is needed to be added to the diet.

Desert iguanas are diurnal lizards. They are very alert creatures and even a slight sign of threat causes them to rise up to their hind legs. Desert iguanas are currently not listed in the category of endangered or protected species. The only threat they face is human intervention to their natural habitat.