Galapagos marine iguana  (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)

This iguana is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, which form an archipelago off the coast of South America. These are volcanic islands, and have never been attached to a land mass, so it is thought that the iguanas rafted over water from South America around 10 to 15 million years ago (7).

This species often lives in colonies where shallow reefs occur with an extensive intertidal zone and a rocky coastline (8). They are found basking on stretches of low cliffs, about two to five metres above sea level, but may also climb to heights of 80 metres. They also need access to sandy areas in which to bury their eggs (2). Though the Galapagos Islands straddle the equator, the water is extremely cold from surrounding ocean currents (5).