Check out Australia Zoo’s Rhinoceros Iguana!

Welcome to the Caribbean, right here at Australia Zoo! Our gorgeous rhinoceros iguanas can be spotted exploring their home and basking in the warm Queensland sun.

Did you know that rhinoceros iguanas acquired their name from the rhino-like horn on the top of their head? These incredible reptiles are native to the tropical Caribbean islands of Hispaniola, Haiti & Dominican Republic.

These gorgeous reptiles are perfectly designed to blend into their environment with their olive and grey colouration! Rhinoceros iguanas are omnivores so most of their diet consists of leaves, shrubs, flowers and fruit. Although, they have been known to eat small mammals, carrion and insects.

Male rhinoceros iguanas can be very territorial, particularly during breeding season. To show their dominance and impress the females, they will utilise a variety of body movements, including head bobbing to show off their large horn and gyrating their body! After gestation, the female will dig a nest hole with her back foot and lay between 5 to 20 eggs. She will guard the nest from predators for the first few weeks of their incubation period.

Due to the introduction of feral species, such as pigs, the rhinoceros iguana is out-competed for food. They are often predated upon by mongoose and birds of prey. Habitat destruction is also an increasing threat to these beautiful reptiles. They are currently considered a vulnerable species, one truly in need of our support!