Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), Galápagos.
Image: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, 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 Amblyrhynchus cristatus says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The marine iguana is the only lizard in the world that forages in the sea, found solely in the Galápagos. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
It dives to graze on algae and sneezes out excess salt.
Range & habitat
The coasts of the Galápagos Islands.
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 (cats, dogs, rats)
- Oil spills and pollution
- Ocean changes such as El Niño
Why it matters
A unique sea-foraging lizard found nowhere else, the marine iguana is an emblem of the Galápagos and of evolution's capacity to adapt animals to new niches.
Gallery
Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), Galápagos.
Image: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Galápagos Marine Iguana
- IUCN Red List — look up Galápagos Marine Iguana (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web