FaunaHub
VUVulnerablePartial review

Galápagos Land Iguana

Conolophus subcristatus

Galápagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus), a large yellowish iguana.

Galápagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus).

Image: E bailey, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category
VU · Vulnerable
Animal group
Reptiles & Amphibians
Population trend
Stable
Last verified

Conservation overview

The Galápagos land iguana is a large yellowish iguana found only on the Galápagos Islands. It is assessed as Vulnerable.

It eats cactus pads and other plants and basks on volcanic rock.

Range & habitat

Several islands of the Galápagos.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Introduced predators and grazers
  • Past habitat damage
  • Restricted island range

Why it matters

A Galápagos endemic that helped inspire ideas about island evolution, the land iguana is a flagship for the archipelago's restoration and predator control.

Gallery

A Galápagos land iguana on volcanic ground.

Galápagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus).

Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Galápagos Land Iguana

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Galápagos land iguana eat?
Mostly plants, including the pads and fruit of prickly-pear cactus, which also provide much of the water it needs in the dry islands.
Why is the Galápagos land iguana Vulnerable?
Published assessments cite introduced predators and grazers and past habitat damage within a restricted island range, though restoration has helped. See the IUCN Red List.

Last updated: