Help an iguana—today, not mañana! September 8 is National Iguana Awareness Day, but these remarkable reptiles deserve compassion and respect every day of the year.

A Lesson on Lizards: Interesting Iguana Facts

Iguanas encompass a vastly diverse array of species, each with their own distinctive personalities, behaviors, interests, and needs. Some live high in the canopies of tropical rainforests, whereas others inhabit the rocky streambeds of dry, sandy deserts. These resourceful animals are well adapted to their natural environment: They can blend into their surroundings, shrink their bodies to preserve energy, and change colors to absorb more sunlight in lower temperatures.

While some species of iguanas are solitary, many others live in groups until they reach adulthood. Green iguanas often forage for food, bask in the sun, and migrate together. Marine iguanas sometimes huddle together on cold nights to conserve heat. Iguanas are also excellent communicators and use their dewlap—the flap of skin that hangs under their chin—to greet each other, establish dominance, claim their territory, scare off predators, and impress potential mates.

An Iguana Doesn’t Wanna Be Your ‘Pet’

Did you know that green iguanas are among the most frequently abandoned “pets”? Or that an estimated 75% of reptile “pets” die within the first year in a human home? That’s because pet stores sell these living, feeling animals like merchandise to misguided consumers who buy them on impulse.

People often purchase iguanas when they’re small, without realizing that they can grow to be 6 feet long and live for 20 years and that caring for them can cost hundreds of dollars a year. They require lots of space, temperature and humidity regulation, and specialized veterinary care. Most humans cannot provide iguanas with the proper environment and care—which is one of the many reasons why these animals are better off in their natural habitats.

Shed Speciesism on National Iguana Awareness Day and Beyond

All reptiles are sensitive and don’t want to be put on display or bought and sold as “pets.” Please never purchase animals from breeders or pet stores and take action for reptiles:

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