Iguanidae (Iguanas and Chuckwallas)

Species in this group

LC

Ctenosaura similis

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

LC

Iguana iguana

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

VU Endemic

Amblyrhynchus cristatus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

LC

Sauromalus ater

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

EN

Cyclura cornuta

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

LC

Dipsosaurus dorsalis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

VU Endemic

Conolophus subcristatus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

LC Endemic

Ctenosaura hemilopha

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

NT Endemic

Sauromalus slevini

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

VU Endemic

Conolophus pallidus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

LC Endemic

Ctenosaura pectinata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

See all 11 species Show fewer

Daily sighting probability by month

Probability-weighted average across the group's species

~50%

Jan

~50%

Feb

~50%

Mar

~50%

Apr

~60%

May

~50%

Jun

~60%

Jul

~60%

Aug

~50%

Sep

~50%

Oct

~50%

Nov

~50%

Dec

When they're spotted

When the group's species are recorded (aggregated)

Where to see Iguanas and Chuckwallas

Warmer areas are where this group is recorded most often. Shaded: the known ranges of its 22 species, darker where more of them overlap (GARD, Roll et al. 2017 & Caetano et al. 2022). Our parks Our cities In captivity: 467 zoos & centres

Parks Ranked

#	Park	Country	Species	Daily sighting probability
1	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	>90%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~90%
	Green Iguana			~60%
2	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	>90%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~90%
	Green Iguana			~70%
3	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~90%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~90%
	Green Iguana			~40%
4	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	2 of 11	~90%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~80%
	Green Iguana			~60%
5	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	3 of 11	~90%
	Marine Iguana			~80%
	Common Land Iguana			~60%
	Santa Fe Land Iguana			~20%
6	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~90%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~80%
	Green Iguana			~50%
7	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~90%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~90%
	Green Iguana			~20%
8	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~90%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~90%
	Green Iguana			~40%
9	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~90%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~80%
	Green Iguana			~50%
10	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 11	~90%
	Common Chuckwalla			~70%
	Desert Iguana			~60%
11	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 11	~90%
	Common Chuckwalla			~80%
	Desert Iguana			~50%
12	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 11	~80%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~80%
13	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 11	~80%
	Green Iguana			~80%
14	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~80%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~70%
	Green Iguana			~40%
15	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	2 of 11	~80%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~70%
	Green Iguana			~40%
16	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	2 of 11	~70%
	Green Iguana			~50%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~40%
17	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~70%
	Green Iguana			~70%
18	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	1 of 11	~70%
	Rhinoceros Iguana			~70%
19	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	1 of 11	~70%
	Green Iguana			~70%
20	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	2 of 11	~60%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
21	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	2 of 11	~60%
	Cape Spinytail Iguana			~50%
	Desert Iguana			~20%
22	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	1 of 11	~60%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~60%
23	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 11	~60%
	Green Iguana			~60%
24	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~60%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~40%
	Green Iguana			~30%
25	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	1 of 11	~50%
	Green Iguana			~50%
26	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	1 of 11	~50%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~50%
27	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	1 of 11	~50%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~50%
28	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 11	~50%
	Green Iguana			~50%
29	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	3 of 11	~50%
	Monserrat Chuckwalla			~30%
	Desert Iguana			~20%
	Common Chuckwalla			~10%
30	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 11	~50%
	Green Iguana			~50%
31	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 11	~50%
	Green Iguana			~50%
32	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
33	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
34	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
35	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
36	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
37	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
38	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
39	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	2 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~30%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~10%
40	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
41	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
42	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
43	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
44	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	1 of 11	~40%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~40%
45	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	2 of 11	~30%
	Green Iguana			~20%
	Guerreran Spiny-tailed Iguana			~10%
46	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	1 of 11	~30%
	Green Iguana			~30%
47	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	2 of 11	~30%
	Green Iguana			~30%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			<5%
48	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	1 of 11	~30%
	Green Iguana			~30%
49	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~30%
	Green Iguana			~10%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~10%
50	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	1 of 11	~20%
	Green Iguana			~20%
51	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~20%
	Green Iguana			~10%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~10%
52	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 11	~20%
	Green Iguana			~20%
53	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 11	~20%
	Desert Iguana			~20%
54	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 11	~20%
	Common Chuckwalla			~20%
55	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	1 of 11	~20%
	Green Iguana			~20%
56	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	1 of 11	~20%
	Desert Iguana			~20%
57	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~10%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~10%
	Green Iguana			~10%
58	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 11	~10%
	Green Iguana			~10%
59	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	1 of 11	~10%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~10%
60	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 11	~10%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~10%

Cities Ranked

#	City	Country	Species	Daily sighting probability
1	San Pedro Sula	🇭🇳 Honduras	2 of 11	~90%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~90%
	Green Iguana			~50%
2	Guayaquil	🇪🇨 Ecuador	1 of 11	~80%
	Green Iguana			~80%
3	Cali	🇨🇴 Colombia	1 of 11	~70%
	Green Iguana			~70%
4	Miami	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 11	~70%
	Green Iguana			~70%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~20%
	Guerreran Spiny-tailed Iguana			<5%
5	Barranquilla	🇨🇴 Colombia	1 of 11	~70%
	Green Iguana			~70%
6	Manaus	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~70%
	Green Iguana			~70%
7	São Luís	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~70%
	Green Iguana			~70%
8	Valencia	🇻🇪 Venezuela	1 of 11	~70%
	Green Iguana			~70%
9	Natal	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~60%
	Green Iguana			~60%
10	Belém	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~60%
	Green Iguana			~60%
11	Managua	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	2 of 11	~60%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~40%
	Green Iguana			~30%
12	Tegucigalpa	🇭🇳 Honduras	2 of 11	~60%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~30%
	Green Iguana			~30%
13	Panama City	🇵🇦 Panama	2 of 11	~50%
	Green Iguana			~40%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~20%
14	João Pessoa	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~50%
	Green Iguana			~50%
15	San José	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~30%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~20%
16	Medellín	🇨🇴 Colombia	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
17	Fortaleza	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
18	San Salvador	🇸🇻 El Salvador	2 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~30%
	Black Spiny-tailed Iguana			~20%
19	Salvador	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
20	Kaohsiung	🇹🇼 Taiwan	1 of 11	~40%
	Green Iguana			~40%
21	Recife	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~30%
	Green Iguana			~30%
22	Santo Domingo	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	1 of 11	~30%
	Green Iguana			~30%
23	Mesa	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 11	~30%
	Common Chuckwalla			~20%
	Desert Iguana			~10%
24	Guadalajara	🇲🇽 México	2 of 11	~30%
	Guerreran Spiny-tailed Iguana			~20%
	Green Iguana			~10%
25	Phoenix	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 11	~30%
	Common Chuckwalla			~20%
	Desert Iguana			~10%
26	Caracas	🇻🇪 Venezuela	1 of 11	~30%
	Green Iguana			~30%
27	Tainan	🇹🇼 Taiwan	1 of 11	~30%
	Green Iguana			~30%
28	Guatemala City	🇬🇹 Guatemala	1 of 11	~20%
	Green Iguana			~20%
29	Maceió	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 11	~20%
	Green Iguana			~20%
30	Puebla	🇲🇽 México	1 of 11	~10%
	Guerreran Spiny-tailed Iguana			~10%
31	Singapore	🇸🇬 Singapore	1 of 11	~10%
	Green Iguana			~10%
32	Bangkok	🇹🇭 Thailand	1 of 11	<5%
	Green Iguana			<5%
33	Mexico City	🇲🇽 México	1 of 11	<5%
	Green Iguana			<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Disney's Animal Kingdom	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Everland	🇰🇷 South Korea	In captivity
3	Busch Gardens Tampa	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
4	SeaWorld San Diego	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
5	Moscow Zoo	🇷🇺 Russia	In captivity
6	Pairi Daiza	🇧🇪 Belgium	In captivity
7	Prague Zoo	🇨🇿 Czechia	In captivity
8	National Zoological Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
9	ZooParc de Beauval	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
10	Denver Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
11	Copenhagen Zoo	🇩🇰 Denmark	In captivity
12	Natura Artis Magistra	🇳🇱 Netherlands	In captivity
13	Dublin Zoo	🇮🇪 Ireland	In captivity
14	Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
15	Aquarium of Genoa	🇮🇹 Italy	In captivity
16	Lisbon Oceanarium	🇵🇹 Portugal	In captivity
17	Toba Aquarium	🇯🇵 Japan	In captivity
18	Parque das Aves	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
19	Barcelona Zoo	🇪🇸 Spain	In captivity
20	North Carolina Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
21	Australia Zoo	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
22	Cabarceno Natural Park	🇪🇸 Spain	In captivity
23	Kolmården Wildlife Park	🇸🇪 Sweden	In captivity
24	Nausicaà Centre National de la Mer	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
25	Oceanarium in Saint Petersburg	🇷🇺 Russia	In captivity
26	Paris Zoological Park	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
27	Zoo Pilsen	🇨🇿 Czechia	In captivity
28	Melaka Zoo and Bird Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	In captivity
29	Fota Wildlife Park	🇮🇪 Ireland	In captivity
30	Réserve africaine de Sigean	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
31	Greensboro Science Center	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
32	Zoologic park de Lille	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
33	Rostov Zoo	🇷🇺 Russia	In captivity
34	Karagandy Zoo	🇰🇿 Kazakhstan	In captivity
35	Zoobotanic Park of Brusque	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
36	Parque Temático Hacienda Nápoles	🇨🇴 Colombia	In captivity
37	Vinpearl Safari	🇻🇳 Vietnam	In captivity
38	Nandankanan Zoological Park	🇮🇳 India	In captivity
39	Arignar Anna Zoological Park	🇮🇳 India	In captivity
40	Beijing Wildlife Park	🇨🇳 China	In captivity
41	Al Ain Zoo	🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates	In captivity
42	Taipei Zoo	🇹🇼 Taiwan	In captivity
43	Parque Zoológico	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
44	Living Desert Zoo and Gardens	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
45	Nehru Zoological Park	🇮🇳 India	In captivity
46	Columbus Zoo and Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
47	Khao Kheow Open Zoo	🇹🇭 Thailand	In captivity
48	Yumka'	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
49	Zoológico de Brasília	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
50	Badoca Safari Park	🇵🇹 Portugal	In captivity