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Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

Reptile · family Iguanidae · order Squamata

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Green Iguana
Photo: Aatu Dorochenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Longest recorded life
19.8 years[3]

The Green Iguana is a reptile in the family Iguanidae[4]. In the United States it is an introduced animal in Florida and Hawaii, and it is not listed under the Endangered Species Act[5][1].

Conservation status

Worldwide, NatureServe ranks the Green Iguana G5, which means Secure[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[6]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. International trade in it is controlled under CITES Appendix II[7].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[6] Least concern
CITES (international trade)[7] Appendix II

Where Green Iguana lives

NatureServe lists the Green Iguana as introduced, not native, in Florida and Hawaii[5]. Both states carry a state rank of SNA[8]. On GBIF, the states with the most observation records are Florida, California, Texas, Hawaii and Louisiana[9]. Those counts follow how much people look and report, not how many animals live there[9].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: introduced, state rank SNAHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: introduced, state rank SNAFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[8].
Show state ranks (2 states)
StateRankMeaning
FloridaSNANot Applicable
HawaiiSNANot Applicable

Habitat

NatureServe records forest, woodland, cliff, forested wetland and riparian (streamside) habitat for this reptile[10]. It spends much of its time up in bushes and trees, and young ones sleep in low plants[11]. It likes to be near water and swims well[11]. Females lay eggs in burrows dug in open ground, often in a sand bank[11].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[10]

Size, diet and lifespan

Adults eat mostly plants, such as leaves, flowers and fruit[12][13]. They also eat some invertebrates, small vertebrates and carrion[12]. NatureServe gives a typical length of 200 cm (79 in)[14]. A clutch can hold 11 to 54 eggs, and larger females lay bigger clutches[15]. The oldest known Green Iguana in the AnAge database lived in captivity, and this is a record, not a typical lifespan[3]. Females reach sexual maturity at about 1,640 days[16].

Trait Value
Typical length[14] 200 cm (79 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 19.8 years (captivity)
Female maturity[16] 1,640 days (about 4.5 years)
Food habits[13] Herbivore, Frugivore
Migration[17] non-migrant

When to look for it

The Green Iguana is diurnal, which means it is active during the day[18]. In its native range it is active all year[19]. NatureServe calls it a non-migrant[17]. GBIF records in the United States are spread across the year, and the most fall in January, April and July[20]. That pattern reflects when people look and report, not how many animals there are[20].

January: 1,703 recordsJanFebruary: 1,540 recordsFebMarch: 1,622 recordsMarApril: 2,023 recordsAprMay: 1,354 recordsMayJune: 1,376 recordsJunJuly: 1,770 recordsJulAugust: 1,298 recordsAugSeptember: 1,281 recordsSepOctober: 1,334 recordsOctNovember: 1,153 recordsNovDecember: 1,698 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[20].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January1,703
February1,540
March1,622
April2,023
May1,354
June1,376
July1,770
August1,298
September1,281
October1,334
November1,153
December1,698

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Green Iguana as present in 2 park units[21]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Florida, California, Texas, Hawaii, Louisiana[9]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Green Iguana endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure[2].
Where does the Green Iguana live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as introduced in Florida and Hawaii[5].
What does the Green Iguana eat?
It eats mainly leaves, flowers and fruits[12]. It also eats some invertebrates, small vertebrates and carrion[12].
How big is a Green Iguana?
NatureServe records a typical length of 200 cm (79 in)[14].
How long does a Green Iguana live?
The oldest known Green Iguana in the AnAge database lived in captivity[3]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].

Facts and sources

  1. Green Iguana is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Green Iguana: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 19.8 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) is a reptile in the family Iguanidae, order Squamata. NatureServe Explorer
  5. NatureServe lists Green Iguana as introduced (not native) in: Florida, Hawaii. NatureServe Explorer
  6. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  7. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix II (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe state ranks for Green Iguana (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  9. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Green Iguana: Florida, California, Texas, Hawaii, Louisiana. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  10. Habitat types NatureServe records for Green Iguana: Forest - hardwood, Woodland - hardwood, Cliff, Forested wetland, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe notes on habitat for Green Iguana. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on food for Green Iguana. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Herbivore, Frugivore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 200 cm (79 in). NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Green Iguana. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 1,640 days (about 4.5 years). AnAge
  17. NatureServe migration category for Green Iguana: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  18. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  19. NatureServe notes on phenology for Green Iguana. NatureServe Explorer
  20. GBIF observation records of Green Iguana in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  21. NPSpecies park lists recording Green Iguana as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Aatu Dorochenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.