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
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2020 global assessment of Conolophus subcristatus says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
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
Galápagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus).
Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Galápagos Land Iguana
- IUCN Red List — look up Galápagos Land Iguana (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
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.