Rhinoceros iguanas are the largest members of the Cyclura family, which are all categorized by large lizards with heavy heads, vertically flattened tails, and strong legs. This iguana can grow between 24-54 inches long and weigh 10-20 pounds with the males growing larger. Regardless of gender, all rhinoceros iguanas are entirely gray to brown to help with camouflage.

Rhinoceros iguanas have a crest of scales that goes all the way from their neck to the tip of its tail. However, its most notable feature, and where it gets its name, is the bony growth on their snout which resembles horns. Males may have a larger set but both sexes display them. Scientists believe the horns can be used to escape other rhinoceros iguanas. When cornered by prey, they can also use their bite or thick tail as weapons.

The rhinoceros iguana is a large iguana that can be found in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. They used to live near the coastline but have since moved further inland with the expansion of people. The rhinoceros iguana’s ideal habitat are places with little rainfall and lots of rocks like scrub woodland and dry forests.

Rhinoceros iguanas are technically omnivorous but lean more to the herbivore side like most iguanas. Their primary diet includes leaves, fruits, flowers, and berries. They can also be categorized as “opportunistic carnivores” since they’ve been seen eating small lizards, insects, and snakes.

Rhinoceros iguanas are beneficial to the ecosystem as the fruit seeds do not digest and are spread around the area in the animal’s feces.

Mating season for the rhinoceros iguana is from May to June, which is just before the rainy season. There is competition between both sexes as males want to fight for the right to mate while females want access to the few nesting sites.

After mating, females will lay 2-35 eggs after 5 months. Females guard their nests for about 85 days until the eggs hatch into independent babies.

The International Iguana Foundation (IIF) approximates that there are only 10,000-16,000 rhinoceros iguanas left in the wild. Their population is threatened by deforestation, poaching, and predation by animals such as feral pigs and mongooses.