View allAll Photos Tagged dewlap
Always remember to lock your car to avoid having your camera gear car jacked. This is the first time I have seen this behavior by moose. I gang of bull moose up close and personal with this traveler's truck. They were licking the minerals off the doors. That's not healthy for them, but unlike with big horn sheep, you are not going to get close and try and chase the moose away. That could end badly. I like how the one bull moose on the right is leaving. He doesn't want any part of these shenanigans. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA, November 2025
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This little guy was my sunning buddy while we were on the island. He didn’t seem to mind us at all. We watched him do pushups and extend his dewlap as he moved along a log in the parking area.
Male extending his dewlap.
The species is native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, by being sold as a pet lizard, and is now found in Florida and other southern states of the United States.
Ormond Beach, Florida
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Southwestern Florida
USA
Green anole on the boardwalk over the swamp. Another green anole can be seen in the first comment section. The next few images will be from there.
The Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) is an arboreal anole lizard native to the southeastern United States (west to Texas) and introduced elsewhere. Other common names include the green anole, American green anole, American anole, and red-throated anole. It has the ability to change color from several brown hues to bright green.
The Carolina anole is a small to medium-sized lizard, with a slender body. The head is long and pointed with ridges between the eyes and nostrils, and smaller ones on the top of the head. The toes have adhesive pads to facilitate climbing. They exhibit sexual dimorphism, the males being fifteen percent larger. The male dewlap (throat fan) is three times the size of the female's and bright red while, the female's is lighter in color.
Adult males are usually 12.5–20.3 cm (4.9–8.0 in) long, with about 60-70% of which is made up of its tail, with a body length up to 7.5 cm (3.0 in) and can weigh from 3–7 g (0.11–0.25 oz).
Carolina anole males that encounter rival males frequently find it is an introduced and invasive brown anole (Anolis sagrei, also known as the Bahaman anole). When browns first appeared in the United States in the early 1900s, the Carolinas ceded their ground-level territories and were relegated to a very different ecosystem high in the treetops. Currently A. carolinensis is abundant in its area of distribution, and is able to thrive in disturbed areas, so it is not considered threatened; but the brown anole represents a developing threat in the future. - Wikipedia
Since we have no lizards in Minnesota it's really fun to see them while visiting South Carolina. They are really quite striking creatures! (and fun to watch their antics)
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language signals are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side. The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, such as a cow.
Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting, away to say hello to another creature during mating but most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching more sun to warm up or a breeze to cool off. So it's important to see "the big picture" when reading Iguana body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
I take pictures at Fairchild Garden every Sunday. A few weeks ago I was thrilled to see 5 young Iguanas on a Palm Tree! Now they are growing up under the watchful eye of this young adult. They scattered as I approached to take this shot.
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language signals are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side. The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, such as a cow.
Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting, away to say hello to another creature during mating but most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign that the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching more sun to warm up or a breeze to cool off. So it's important to see "the big picture" when reading Iguana body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
Lowlands, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language signals are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side. The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, such as a cow.
Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting, away to say hello to another creature during mating but most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign that the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching more sun to warm up or a breeze to cool off. So it's important to see "the big picture" when reading Iguana body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Biscayne Park, FL
🇫🇷 à proximité du village
L’iguane commun peut varier en taille de 7.7 cm du museau au cloaque (SVL) chez les nouveau-nés jusqu’à plus de 50 cm SVL chez les mâles adultes, la longueur totale du corps si on inclut la queue approchant les 2 m. La couleur des individus change naturellement au cours du temps : les nouveaux nés sont d’un vert brillant avec une bande bleue claire sur les membres antérieurs et les paupières sombres. Les juvéniles sont verts clairs et les adultes sont verts foncés. Contrairement à l’iguane des Petites Antilles, l’iguane commun possède une grosse écaille blanche sous le tympan qui peut atteindre 2.5 cm de diamètre, cette écaille est d’autant plus grande que l’individu est âgé. Elle est prolongée vers l’avant par des écailles de petite taille formant une sorte de mosaïque. Le fanon présente plus de 10 épines dans sa partie inférieure. Une de ses caractéristiques les plus reconnaissables est sa queue annelée (vert gris plus ou moins prononcé avec des rayures noirâtres).
Ils possèdent également une longue rangée d’épines sur le haut du corps jusqu’au bout de la queue. La queue des iguanes communs peut se détacher si elle est attrapée. La possibilité de perdre, volontairement, un morceau de sa queue puis de la faire repousser (autotomie) donne à l’iguane commun de meilleures chances de survies face aux prédateurs.
source [www.iguanes-antilles.org/iguane-commun]
🇬🇧 near the village
The common iguana can vary in size from 7.7 cm snout to cloaca (SVL) in newborns to over 50 cm SVL in adult males, with total body length including tail approaching 2 m. The colour of individuals changes naturally over time: newborns are bright green with a light blue stripe on the forelegs and dark eyelids. Juveniles are light green and adults are dark green. Unlike the Lesser Antillean Iguana, the Common Iguana has a large white scale under the eardrum which can be up to 2.5 cm in diameter, the larger the scale the older the individual. It is extended forwards by smaller scales forming a sort of mosaic. The lower part of the dewlap has more than 10 spines. One of its most recognisable features is its ringed tail (more or less pronounced grey-green with blackish stripes).
They also have a long row of spines running from the top of the body to the tip of the tail. The tail of a common iguana can break off if caught. The ability to voluntarily lose a piece of its tail and then regrow it (autotomy) gives the common iguana a better chance of survival against predators.
At first I thought this bull moose was growing its antlers abnormally, but upon close look, it appears his left side has been broken off at the tips. Perhaps they got stuck in some branches when he was trying to scrape off the velvet. He would have been a monster this year had it not been for that. So I've nicknamed him Oddball for this year. It doesn't seem to have impacted his interest in the ladies. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA, September 2025
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This “original chicken” is smaller than its domestic descendants, and is widespread throughout South and Southeast Asia; can also be found as an introduced species in many regions around the world (especially prevalent on many Pacific Islands, including Hawaii). In its introduced range and some areas of its native range it has interbred widely with feral and domestic chickens, producing intermediate hybrids. Many of these birds cannot be distinguished from genuine wild-type birds. Within native range calls are useful for ID: the wild male’s crowing is hoarse and choked off towards the end, unlike the loud, vibrant calls of the domestic rooster. (eBird)
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The original "chicken" from which all domestic and feral chickens come. These birds are NOT CHICKENS, they are wild Junglefowl, of which there are several species in the world.
There were junglefowl everywhere in Singapore, almost evenly split between the wild and the hybrid. While the call is a useful ID point, they do not go around crowing all the time, so the other ID point to look for is the grey legs and white dewlap. They were the second most common bird on our trip list, after the Javan Mynas. This pair were just going about their day in a park frequented by many people, monitor lizards, monkeys and other birds. They were much easier to see in Singapore than in india.
Pasir Ris Park, Singapore. March 2024.
Birding Singapore.
Anolis carolinesis and Anolis sagrei are distinct species. Anolis carolinensis is native to the US, while A. sagrei is intruduced from Cuba. Both species use the same habitat, but A. carolinensis has taken up highter elevation (higher in the bushes), while A. sagrei is found more at ground level. It is a well known fact that close species often interbreed and produce viable offspring(i.e. Red Wolf and Coyote). This pair of sparring males appear to be the result of such interbreeding. They are green, but not as vividly so as the green anole. They have some markings and the crests on the neck and back of the brown anole. Their dewlaps are flame orange, like the brown anole, but without the yellow border, while the green anole displays with a bright pink dewlap. Their heads are more elongated than the brown anole, but shorter than the green. They are sparring over a female that only shows its long tail from under the fence.
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language messages are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side.
The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, like a cow. Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting. An extended dewlap is often used to say hello to another creature during mating and most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign that the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching sun to warm up or catching a breeze to cool off. So it's important to consider "the big picture" when reading an Iguana's body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
THE HAT!
10-december-2017: this particular orographic cloud (also called HAT and generally presages bad weather within 5-8 hours) was formed by the arrival of mild and humid air from the nearby (less than 30km linear) Adriatic Sea (from the left with this perspective), as an outpost of a Severe Atlantic front, indeed...
The clash between this flow and the -7 °C (-10°C snow temperature), at that time were at that altitude, caused the immediate condensation of the steam around the mountain almost like the coils of a snake.
By the way, despite the Low Altitude (Suhi Vrh: 1313m a.s.l., Debeli Vrh: 1301m, Pleša 1262m), Nanos Dewlap is climatically very important because it is watershed between the Adriatic sea and far Black sea, but, most of all, this Karst-dinaric mountain is "capacitor currents" in the Trieste powerful "Door Of Bora".
Bull Moose transfer their scent to their dewlap (it's often called a 'bell') by urinating in the soil and then rubbing it in the wet ground to help him attract females. Guys, don't try this at home!
This brown anole displays his dewlap to let me know who is in charge. He can have it all as I was just visiting the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens in Florida. I saw several types and sizes of lizards at the gardens, but this little guy was the most precious with his dewlap.
The dewlap is an interesting section of skin that the lizard can extend to signal others from a distance as the pigments in the skin are specifically captured by eyes of an anole. By displaying its dewlap the lizard may appear larger than it is to help warn off predators.
The brown anole is an invasive species in Florida that both out-competes and consumes its competition.
Taken 11 April at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens, Florida.
Green anole is small lizard that can reach 5 to 8 inches in length. Males are larger than females. Green anole is brightly green colored, but it easily changes the color into brown, yellow or grey depending on the mood, temperature and humidity. Males have pink or red flap of skin, called dewlap, on the throat.
Iguana (/ɪˈɡwɑːnə/, Spanish: [iˈɣwana]) is a genus of omnivorous lizards native to tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Iguanas can range from 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) including their tail. The two species of lizard within the genus Iguana possess a dewlap, a row of spines running down their backs to their tails, and a tiny "third eye" on their heads. This light-sensing organ is known as the parietal eye, visible as a pale scale on the top of the head, and cannot make out details, just brightness. Behind their necks are small scales which resemble spokes, known as tuberculate scales. These scales may be a variety of colors and are not always visible from close distances. They have a large round scale on their cheeks known as a subtympanic shield.
The tympanum, the iguana's eardrum, is located above the subtympanic shield (or "earshield") behind each eye. Iguanas are often hard to spot because they blend into their surroundings. Their coloration enables them to hide from larger predators.
Lowlands, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
"Green Anoles use their pink dewlaps for two purposes. One is for breeding, displaying their intent to females. The other is by far the most commonly seen behavior and functions in establishing the male’s territory among other males. By displaying its dewlap, the lizard tells other males that they have entered the displayer’s home range. The intruding male has two options. He may simply leave, or he may establish his dominance and displace the original proprietor. Males rarely give females a territorial display, allowing them to enter freely. As you have probably noticed, anoles will also display to gardeners, dogs, and other passers-by."
I think he was trying to scare me away! He's not friendly at all! Good!
Anolis carolinensis and Anolis sagrei are distinct species. Anolis carolinensis is native to the US, while A. sagrei is introduced from Cuba. Both species use the same habitat, but A. carolinensis has taken up higher elevation (higher in the bushes), while A. sagrei is found more at ground level. It is a well known fact that close species often interbreed and produce viable offspring(i.e. Red Wolf and Coyote). This pair of sparring males appear to be the result of such interbreeding. They are green, but not as vividly so as the green anole. They have some markings and the crests on the neck and back of the brown anole. Their dewlaps are flame orange, like the brown anole, but without the yellow border, while the green anole displays with a bright pink dewlap. Their heads are more elongated than the brown anole, but shorter than the green. They are sparring over a female that only shows its long tail from under the fence.
Having spent the prior day in Yellowstone with my cousins, they had one day to spend in Grand Teton National Park. One of the goals was for them to see moose, so we headed for the active spots. We first saw a few cows and juvenile calves which they enjoyed, but kept searching and luckily came across this big bull, the best one I've seen so far this year. And better yet, there were no big crowds to chase him off. He gave us a nice amount of time to spend with him and make many photographs. For this photo, I got low and framed him through the sagebrush. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA, August 2025
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Anole carolinensis, showing off that dewlap. Sometimes the green anole turns brown, and I read that this can be due to stress. Not sure what the problem was here - I had my "bird" lens on, and was back a ways. Could have been because my wife had watered the hibiscus where he was holed up, I guess...
(Also, today I learned that some consider the proper pronunciation to be "a-nol-ee", maybe because of its French Caribbean origin.)
A battle scarred Green Iguana - Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge - Costa Rica.
Trivia - When perceiving threat, they extend their dewlap to appear big. They can grow up to 2 meters long. The more frayed and tattered their spines .. the lower is their position in iguana society.
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Brolga
Grus rubicunda Gruidae
One of the most obvious features of the Brolga’s behaviour is its courtship display, an elaborate dance. The dance begins with a pair of birds picking up grass, tossing it into the air and catching it again. This is followed by the birds repeatedly leaping a metre into the air with wings outstretched, followed by stretching their necks upwards, bowing to one another, bobbing their heads, walking about and calling. Sometimes the dance is done alone or in a group, with the birds lining up opposite one another.
Description: The Brolga is a large grey crane, with a featherless red head and grey crown. The legs are grey and there is a black dewlap under the chin. Females are shorter than males. The energetic dance performed by the Brolga is a spectacular sight. Displays may be given at any time of the year and by birds of any age.
Similar Species: The Sarus Crane, G. antigone, another species of crane found in Australia, can be identified by its dull pink legs and the red of its head extending down the neck.
Distribution: The Brolga is found across tropical northern Australia, southwards through north-east and east central areas, as well as central New South Wales to western Victoria.
Habitat: The Brolga inhabits large open wetlands, grassy plains, coastal mudflats and irrigated croplands and, less frequently, mangrove-studded creeks and estuaries. It is less common in arid and semi-arid regions, but will occur close to water.
Feeding: Brolgas are omnivorous (feeding on both vegetable and animal matter), but primarily feed upon tubers and some crops. Some insects, molluscs, amphibians and even mice are also taken.
Breeding: Brolgas probably mate for life, and pair bonds are strengthened during elaborate courtship displays, which involve much dancing, leaping, wing-flapping and loud trumpeting. An isolated territory is established, and is vigorously defended by both partners. The white (blotched with brown and purple) eggs are laid in a single clutch. The nest is a large mound of vegetation on a small island in a shallow waterway or swamp. Both adults incubate the eggs and care for the young birds.
(Source: www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/brolga)
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© Chris Burns 2025
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
© Darlene Bushue 2020
Spent early Monday morning with this handsome fella and three of his buddies and hoping to catch them in some better light tomorrow. The smoke and haze from nearby wildfires really puts a damper on a lot of things, including being able to enjoy the great outdoors.
Enjoy the rest of your Thursday!!!
Went for a brief outing for a change of scenery this past weekend at a nearby arboretum.
We encountered this little green Anole lizard hiding in the brush near the food bridge, but when I stopped to get a few shots it turned brown and flashed that dewlap - warning me to move along. So I did.
** Below is one of the first shots where it looks decidedly more green than brown. 🔻
From what I understand, when an Anole lizard puffs up his dewlap, he's either trying to attract a female, or scare off an enemy! I prefer to think he was flirting with me 😉
Happy TREE-mendous Tuesday!
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language signals are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side. The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, such as a cow.
Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting, away to say hello to another creature during mating but most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign that the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching more sun to warm up or a breeze to cool off. So it's important to see "the big picture" when reading Iguana body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
You know I mostly have tunnel vision when it comes to birds. However, when a beautiful Brown Anole pops out right in front of me posing with his bright red dewlap exposed, I am on it.
An adult male Common Gliding Lizard alights on a coconut palm trunk in the supra-littoral zone overlooking the turquoise waters of the South China Sea. He is shown in the act of signaling to a conspecific nearby with postural push ups, in conjunction with erecting the dewlap spasmodically. These lizards were a common sight along the palm stands lining the foreshore of Juara Beach on Tioman Island in the Seribuat Archipelago of Malaysia. Many times during our stay I was in bliss taking in this view as I watched their antics. I thought to myself that they were so lucky to live in such an absolute paradise.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR coupled to a Carl Zeiss 50/2 ZE makro planar lens with a 13mm extension tube attached and a little fill flash.
This little Anole scurried around the ledge of our kitchen bay window, leapt over to the handrail. and then raced straight to the camellia bush.
However, along the way, he paused long enough to flash his dewlap at me, as if he was not happy about the pictures I grabbed of him on that railing. I guess he told me!
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Hello, I'm a look like of 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'
and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), also known as the caribou in North America, is found in large herds in the tundra and taiga zones along the tree line of northern Europe, Asia (Siberia) and North America.
It can be characterized by light or dark brown fur, along with a white chest, underbelly, and rump. They have long snouts, short tails, and long legs ending in large even-toed hooves. The reindeer also has a dewlap on its throat covered in white hair. It is the only species of deer in which both males and females possess antlers.
The females usually measure 162–205 cm in length and weigh 80–120 kg. The males (or "bulls") are typically larger (although the extent to which varies in the different subspecies), measuring 180–214 cm in length and usually weighing 159–182 kg.
This picture was taken in Zoo Duisburg, Germany.
Het rendier (Rangifer tarandus) is het huisdier van de toendra.
Het rendier is gedomesticeerd en wordt door de nomaden van de toendra's van Europa en Azië gehouden. In de taiga en toendra van Europa en Azië leven nog enkele wilde populaties.
Ook in Noord-Amerika komt het nog steeds in het wild voor.
Het Noord-Amerikaanse rendier wordt kariboe genoemd.
Het rendier is de enige hertachtige waarvan zowel de mannelijke als de vrouwelijke dieren een gewei dragen.
Rendieren zijn 160 à 215 cm lang en wegen 80 à 180 kg.
Het grootst zijn de mannetjes. De Amerikaanse kariboes zijn iets groter dan de Europese en Aziatische rendieren.
Het rendier wordt om zijn vacht, zijn vlees, zijn melk en als trekdier gebruikt. Ze zijn zeer gemakkelijk en goedkoop te onderhouden dieren doordat ze de kou kunnen verdragen en geen stal nodig hebben; ze zoeken hun eigen voedsel, het rendiermos (een korstmos), zelfs als er een dikke sneeuwlaag ligt.
Deze foto is gemaakt in Zoo Duisburg in Duitsland.
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All rights reserved. Copyright © Martien Uiterweerd. All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission.
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Moose are quite extraordinary animals. The global population includes several subspecies and numbers about two million, with about half of them in Canada.
Unlike other members of the deer family, moose antlers are 'palmated' and they change shape from year to year as the bulls mature and live into old age.
Moose are mostly solitary animals and shy but can be curious and are intelligent. They gallop like horses and are also good swimmers and divers.
That flap of skin/hair under the jaw is called a dewlap or bell. It's exact purpose isn't known but it is suspected to assist the bull during mating season, as another sign of health and dominance in addition to his antlers. Bulls will rub their bell on cow moose, to transfer their scent.
I don't try to get this close to large wildlife but this was one of those cases where I was watching the moose from a safe distance from the opposite side of my vehicle. When the moose decided to move on, he walked in my direction and right by me - all I could do was take a deep breath, stay calm and try to capture a few photos.
Male Green Iguana
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Green Iguanas are initially from Central and South America and some of the eastern Caribbean islands. However, they were found to be in Florida in the 1960s. Miami-Dade's southern coast have a large population that has spread throughout most of Florida.
By and large, green iguanas are herbivorous. They may eat insects or dead meat on occasion, but it's fruits and leaves that make up the bulk of their diet. But to green iguanas, vegetation isn't just a food source. This is a tree-loving animal that spends most of its time basking in forest canopies.
Scaling branches comes easily to the lizards; with their long fingers and hooked claws, these guys are first-rate climbers. Of course, you don't spend a lifetime in the treetops without taking the occasional spill. Green iguanas have been known to withstand 50-foot (15.2-meter) falls and walk away uninjured.
This species is also perfectly at home in the water. Much like alligators, the animals swim by undulating their tails from side to side. A frightened iguana might also choose to seek refuge below the surface if a predator's lurking about.
Hatchling Iguanas are born in underground nests — sometimes in the vicinity of crocodilians. Baby iguanas stick together, forming social groups with their siblings for mutual protection. Such units can last for months, during which time the young lizards groom one another and sleep side-by-side.
Full-grown males put on elaborate mating displays. Iguanas are sexually dimorphic, with females looking visibly different from their masculine counterparts. Both sexes have dewlaps: folds of loose skin that dangle below the neck. Yet these are proportionately larger in males — and an important communication tool.
Come breeding season, a male iguana will defend a huge territory. (And ideally mate with a harem of females, whom he'll guard for an extended period.) To scare off rivals, males aggressively bob their heads up and down, dewlaps flapping all the while. Doing so from a naked tree branch high in the canopy helps broadcast machismo.
Not all "green" iguanas are literally green; they also come in shades of brown, blue, red and gray. Besides, males often turn orange or bronze when it's time to court potential mates.
(Nikon D500, 80-400/5.6, 1/1000 @ f/8, ISO 450)
I take pictures at Fairchild Garden every Sunday. A few weeks ago I was thrilled to see 5 young Iguanas on a Palm Tree! Now they are growing up under the watchful eye of this young adult. They scattered as I approached to take this shot.
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language signals are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side. The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, such as a cow.
Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting, away to say hello to another creature during mating but most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign that the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching more sun to warm up or a breeze to cool off. So it's important to see "the big picture" when reading Iguana body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
Lowlands, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
I like how the red dewlap of this Band-tailed Guan is matched by the colour of the Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) growing wild at the El Dorado Lodge in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, northern Colombia, South America. This bird is also displaying a prominent crest.
This Anole Lizard wanted to show me that he was a bad boy bully to be reckoned with by extending his dewlap...highly effective intimidation indeed, as I fled the scene at blinding speed before he could kick my rear end...well, that's HIS version of the story, anyway! 😉LOL!!!!
The pretty extraordinary dewlap of a scrappy looking Boyd’s forest dragon (lophosaurus boydii) #dewlap #boyds #tbtuesday
2025 FAFM February 1 - A
A is for Anole
A type of lizard commonly found in our yard during the warmer months of the year.
This past summer, we spotted this Anole flashing his dewlap (a warning to keep your distance) at something that must have alarmed him as he was climbing this post to sneak some mealworms out of the mealworm feeder.
Happy Moose Monday. A good size bull moose down by the river in the fall. The light was low and coming almost directly at the camera making the exposure on the moose a bit difficult, but it made the willow trees really glow. Hope you like it. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA, October 2024
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Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language alerts are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side.
The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, like cattle. Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting. An extended dewlap is often used to say hello to another creature during mating and most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign that the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana that's basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching more sun to warm up or catching a breeze to cool off. So it's important to see "the big picture" when reading Iguana body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
The Cuban brown anole (Anolis sagrei) is a small lizard with a colorful throat pouch, or dewlap, that it uses to communicate and select mates.
Males have a large, orange dewlap with a yellow border that they extend to signal their presence. Females also have a dewlap, but it's much smaller.
Adult brown anoles are about 16cm long, including their tail.
The species is native to Cuba and the Bahamas.
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L'anolis brun de Cuba (Anolis sagrei) est un petit lézard doté d'une poche labiale colorée, ou fanon, qu'il utilise pour communiquer et sélectionner ses partenaires.
Les mâles ont un grand fanon orange bordé de jaune qu'ils étendent pour signaler leur présence. Les femelles ont également un fanon, mais il est beaucoup plus petit.
Les anolis bruns adultes mesurent environ 16 cm de long, queue comprise.
L'espèce est originaire de Cuba et des Bahamas.