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Animals
- All About Aardvarks – Lesson
- All About Aardvarks – Quiz
- Babirusa – What a Pig! – Lesson
- Babirusa – What a Pig! – Quiz
- The Chimpanzee – The Nearly Human Primate – Lesson
- The Chimpanzee – The Nearly Human Primate – Quiz
- The Donkey – The Intelligent Yet Stubborn Animal – Lesson
- The Donkey – The Intelligent Yet Stubborn Animal – Quiz
- Electric Eels – Shocking Details – Lesson
- Electric Eels – Shocking Details – Quiz
- Ferrets – Playful, Fun-Loving Animals – Lesson
- Ferrets – Playful, Fun-Loving Animals – Quiz
- Giraffe – The Tallest Living Land Animal – Lesson
- Giraffe – The Tallest Living Land Animal – Quiz
- The Hedgehog – Lesson
- The Hedgehog – Quiz
- Iguanas – The “Chickens of the Tree” – Lesson
- Iguanas – The “Chickens of the Tree” – Quiz
- Jaguar – The Largest Cat on the American Continent – Lesson
- Jaguar – The Largest Cat on the American Continent – Quiz
- Koala – Not Koala Bear – Lesson
- Koala – Not Koala Bear – Quiz
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Space and Astronomy
- Mars: Just the Beginning? – Lesson
- Mars: Just the Beginning? – Quiz
- Six Billion ‘Earth-like’ Planets in the Milky Way Galaxy? – Lesson
- Six Billion ‘Earth-like’ Planets in the Milky Way Galaxy? – Quiz
- Did NASA Scientists Find Another Universe? – Lesson
- Did NASA Scientists Find Another Universe? – Quiz
- A New Planet Was Discovered – And Old Theories Must Change – Lesson
- A New Planet Was Discovered – And Old Theories Must Change – Quiz
- SpaceX Completes First Civilian Trip to Space – Lesson
- SpaceX Completes First Civilian Trip to Space – Quiz
- First Movie Filmed in Space Successful – Lesson
- First Movie Filmed in Space Successful – Quiz
- James Webb Telescope Heads to Deep Space – Lesson
- James Webb Telescope Heads to Deep Space – Quiz
- A Lot Is Happening on and Around the Moon – Lesson
- A Lot Is Happening on and Around the Moon – Quiz
- First-Ever Picture Taken of the Milky Way’s Black Hole – Lesson
- First-Ever Picture Taken of the Milky Way’s Black Hole – Quiz
- First James Webb Telescope Images Revealed – Lesson
- First James Webb Telescope Images Revealed – Quiz
- Buzz Aldrin Sells Jacket from the Moon Landing – Lesson
- Buzz Aldrin Sells Jacket from the Moon Landing – Quiz
- Humans at Home on the Moon – Could It Really Happen in This Decade? – Lesson
- Humans at Home on the Moon – Could It Really Happen in This Decade? – Quiz
- Winter on Mars – Lesson
- Winter on Mars – Quiz
- Pictures of Mars Show Hidden Figures – Lesson
- Pictures of Mars Show Hidden Figures – Quiz
- Jupiter and Venus Appear to ‘Kiss’ – Lesson
- Jupiter and Venus Appear to ‘Kiss’ – Quiz
- The James Webb Telescope Finds Six Ancient Galaxies – Lesson
- The James Webb Telescope Finds Six Ancient Galaxies – Quiz
- Would an EpiPen Work in Space? – Lesson
- Would an EpiPen Work in Space? – Quiz
- Satellite Spots Earth’s Second Moon? – Lesson
- Satellite Spots Earth’s Second Moon? – Quiz
- Space Mining – The Race is On and China is Leading – Lesson
- Space Mining – The Race is On and China is Leading – Quiz
- How Did Gold and Platinum Arrive on Earth – Lesson
- How Did Gold and Platinum Arrive on Earth – Quiz
- Odysseus Has Found Its New Home – Lesson
- Odysseus Has Found Its New Home – Quiz
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The Environment
- Red Tide: No Fun in the Florida Sun – Lesson
- Red Tide: No Fun in the Florida Sun – Quiz
- Leaded Gas Eradicated from the World, Says United Nations – Lesson
- Leaded Gas Eradicated from the World, Says United Nations – Quiz
- COVID Plastic Waste: A Big Problem for Oceans – Lesson
- COVID Plastic Waste: A Big Problem for Oceans – Quiz
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Archaeology and Paleontology
- Ancient Human Species Discovered – Lesson
- Ancient Human Species Discovered – Quiz
- Biblical City of Sodom Found in the Jordan Valley? – Lesson
- Biblical City of Sodom Found in the Jordan Valley? – Quiz
- Antarctic Explorer’s Ship Found After a Century – Lesson
- Antarctic Explorer’s Ship Found After a Century – Quiz
- Newly Found Diary Shows How Ancient Egyptians Built the Pyramids – Lesson
- Newly Found Diary Shows How Ancient Egyptians Built the Pyramids – Quiz
- Study Shows ‘Apocalyptic Dust’ Might Have Killed the Dinosaurs – Lesson
- Study Shows ‘Apocalyptic Dust’ Might Have Killed the Dinosaurs – Quiz
- Ancient Celestial Calendar Found in a 2,000-Year-Old Tomb – Lesson
- Ancient Celestial Calendar Found in a 2,000-Year-Old Tomb – Quiz
- Hiker Stumbles Upon Ancient Fossils While Hiking in Italy – Lesson
- Hiker Stumbles Upon Ancient Fossils While Hiking in Italy – Quiz
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Technology
- 3 Reasons to Protect Your Online Privacy – Lesson – VIDEO
- The Rise of Deepfakes – Lesson
- The Rise of Deepfakes – Quiz
- A New Mayflower Voyage, Captained by AI Technology – Lesson
- A New Mayflower Voyage, Captained by AI Technology – Quiz
- The Latest Supercomputer Is Breaking Speed Barriers – Lesson
- The Latest Supercomputer Is Breaking Speed Barriers – Quiz
- LNGenZ Survey: What is the Greatest American Invention? – Lesson
- LNGenZ Survey: What is the Greatest American Invention? – Quiz
- School and ChatGPT – Is it Cheating? – Lesson
- School and ChatGPT – Is it Cheating? – Quiz
- Artificial Intelligence Gets an Upgrade? – Lesson
- Artificial Intelligence Gets an Upgrade? – Quiz
- Scientists Plan to Bring the Dodo Bird Back from Extinction – Lesson
- Scientists Plan to Bring the Dodo Bird Back from Extinction – Quiz
- Is There Too Much Technology in Education? – Lesson
- Is There Too Much Technology in Education? – Quiz
- AI Coming to a Keyboard Near You – Lesson
- AI Coming to a Keyboard Near You – Quiz
- Is the NSA Browsing Your Browser History? – Lesson
- Is the NSA Browsing Your Browser History? – Quiz
- AI Can’t Compete With People Skills – Lesson
- AI Can’t Compete With People Skills – Quiz
- How Social Media Is Hazardous to Generation Z – and Beyond – Lesson
- How Social Media Is Hazardous to Generation Z – and Beyond – Quiz
- Surgeon General’s Warning for Social Media – Lesson
- Surgeon General’s Warning for Social Media – Quiz
- Pay With Your Face: Is the End of Cash Nigh? – Lesson
- Pay With Your Face: Is the End of Cash Nigh? – Quiz
- Can Artificial Intelligence Really End Cancer? – Lesson
- Can Artificial Intelligence Really End Cancer? – Quiz
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Mind and Body
- Teen Scientist’s Invention Mixes Music with Mental Health – Lesson
- Teen Scientist’s Invention Mixes Music with Mental Health – Quiz
- Man Receives First Pig Heart Transplant – Lesson
- Man Receives First Pig Heart Transplant – Quiz
- Sniffing Out the Truth About Smells – Lesson
- Sniffing Out the Truth About Smells – Quiz
- The Power of Playtime – Lesson
- The Power of Playtime – Quiz
- Is Language Getting More Emotional? – Lesson
- Is Language Getting More Emotional? – Quiz
- Scientists Say Household Chores Help Kids’ Brains – Lesson
- Scientists Say Household Chores Help Kids’ Brains – Quiz
- Transplant of Pig Kidney Into a Human Successful So Far – Lesson
- Transplant of Pig Kidney Into a Human Successful So Far – Quiz
- The Lack of a College Degree Is Shortening Lifespans – Lesson
- The Lack of a College Degree Is Shortening Lifespans – Quiz
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Flora and Fauna
- Dogs Can Tell When Humans Make a Mistake, Says Study – Lesson
- Dogs Can Tell When Humans Make a Mistake, Says Study – Quiz
- Jonathan: The World’s Oldest Living Tortoise – Lesson
- Jonathan: The World’s Oldest Living Tortoise – Quiz
- The Monarch Butterfly Makes a Surprise Return – Lesson
- The Monarch Butterfly Makes a Surprise Return – Quiz
- Bat Falcon Spotted in the United States for the First Time – Lesson
- Bat Falcon Spotted in United States for the First Time – Quiz
- Charles Darwin’s Notebooks Mysteriously Returned after 20 Years – Lesson
- Charles Darwin’s Notebooks Mysteriously Returned after 20 Years – Quiz
- Six Endangered Red Wolf Pups Born in Wildlife Refuge – Lesson
- Six Endangered Red Wolf Pups Born in Wildlife Refuge – Quiz
- Scientists Record Never-Before-Heard Whale Call – Lesson
- Scientists Record Never-Before Heard Whale Call – Quiz
- Underwater Meadow Gets Credit as the World’s Largest Living Plant – Lesson
- Underwater Meadow Gets Credit as the World’s Largest Living Plant – Quiz
- Scientists Trying to Bring the Tasmanian Tiger Back from Extinction – Lesson
- Scientists Trying to Bring the Tasmanian Tiger Back from Extinction – Quiz
- Jurassic Era Insect Found at Arizona Walmart – Lesson
- Jurassic Era Insect Found at Arizona Walmart – Quiz
- The Comeback of the Nearly Extinct Earless Lizard – Lesson
- The Comeback of the Nearly Extinct Earless Lizard – Quiz
- A Strange Golden Orb Found on the Ocean Floor Is Alive! – Lesson
- A Strange Golden Orb Found on the Ocean Floor Is Alive! – Quiz
- Peanut: The Pet Chicken With a World Record – Lesson
- Peanut: The Pet Chicken With a World Record – Quiz
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Mathematics
- Metric vs. Imperial: A Weighty Debate in Britain – Lesson
- Metric vs. Imperial: A Weighty Debate in Britain – Quiz
- The Abacus is Helping Kids Master Math Skills – Lesson
- The Abacus is Helping Kids Master Math Skills – Quiz
- Retired Engineer Discovers ‘Einstein’ Shape – Lesson
- Retired Engineer Discovers ‘Einstein’ Shape – Quiz
Iguanas – The “Chickens of the Tree” – Lesson
These animals use their eyes to communicate with one another.
Iguanas, primarily the Green Iguana, live in parts of Central America, North America, and South America. They are herbivorous lizards that can grow to be quite large. In some parts of the world, they are considered to be invasive pests. In the United States, they are primarily kept as house pets. Their preference for building their habitats in the treetops and the taste of their meat has some Central and South Americans referring to them as “chickens of the tree.”
Ancestry and Evolution
Iguanas have a rich evolutionary history that dates to the time when dinosaurs were alive and well. The first animal that was close to what an iguana is today began its existence during the Jurassic Period. Since that time, iguanas have undergone significant changes. Reptiles have learned to adapt to various environments, including thickly vegetated areas and marine habitats. Their ability to conform to changing conditions has made them one of the most diverse reptiles on the planet.
Appearance
The different species of iguana vary in size and weight. The green iguana, the most common, weighs about 11 pounds and is around 6.5 feet in length. Other species can weigh as much as 30 pounds and reach up to 7 feet in length. Their bodies are covered in scales, with thicker, more tightly packed ones on their dorsal trunk. A large, round scale on their cheeks is known as the subtympanic shield.
Iguanas come in several different colors, each helping them blend into their surroundings. They are often difficult to see, especially from long distances. These reptiles have excellent eyesight, with the ability to see movement, shadows, shapes, and colors from far away. They also use eye or vision signals to communicate with others of their kind. Many lizard species, including iguanas, have what is called a parietal eye. It is an organ located on the back of its head that sends signals to the pineal gland, letting the animal know whether it is daytime or nighttime. Additionally, iguanas contain a photopigment known as parapinopsin that helps them determine night versus day.
Diet and Habitat of Iguanas
Iguanas are classified as omnivores, though they primarily consume food like herbivores. Their favorite foods include green leafy plants, flowers, buds, and the fruit of a fig tree. They also love to eat insects and will sometimes indulge in carrion, dead animal flesh.
Iguanas prefer to live in forests but can adapt to other more open areas as well. In those areas, they live beneath the ground to avoid predators. They primarily make their homes in trees. Younger iguanas settle closer to the ground while the more mature reptiles reside in the treetops. They seldom come down from their dwellings unless to lay their eggs.
Reproduction and Lifespan
After a female iguana has chosen a mate, he leaves his scent at the nesting areas the female has built. After mating, the female will lay between 10 and 30 eggs over an approximate 65-day period. It takes between 90 and 120 days for the eggs to incubate and hatch. A single female’s average litter is three. The newborns feed from the fluid inside their eggs for the first couple of weeks after birth. They are very small when born (approximately half an ounce in weight). They grow to just over two pounds over the next couple of years. They reach their full size around three years of age.
It is common for iguanas that are properly cared for to live 15 to 20 years. Some zoos report them living upward of 60 years. However, the wild is a whole different story. A wild iguana is lucky to live to be just eight years old.
Predators
Iguanas’ greatest predators are large birds that primarily feed on the young. Dogs and feral cats hunt and eat the reptiles, just like humans. It is common for humans to use iguana parts as fish bait. For most species of iguana, their population status is good. There are some species, however, that are seeing a decline, especially those who are native to the Cayman Islands. This is due to deforestation and the removal of the animal’s natural habitat.
Interesting Facts About Iguanas
- There are several iguanas portrayed in various animated shows, with arguably the most popular being Bad Bill from the movie Rango.
- Iguanas can shed and regrow parts of their tail, which is a helpful tool when facing predators.
- Some birds will follow iguanas around and eat the insects the reptile kicks up during their travels.
- The eggs of iguanas are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world.
- In some parts of the world, iguanas are considered to be invasive pests; in the United States, they are primarily kept as house pets.
- The common green iguana weighs about 11 pounds and is around 6.5 feet in length; other species can weigh as much as 30 pounds and reach up to 7 feet in length.
- After mating, the female will lay between 10 and 30 eggs over a 65-day period. It takes between 90 and 120 days for the eggs to incubate and hatch.