Pink Iguana Babies Discovered in the Galapagos

There are only a few hundred pink iguanas on Earth, and all of them live on the slopes of Wolf Volcano in the Galápagos. Now rangers from the Galápagos Conservancy and national park have spotted nesting sites and hatchlings of this critically endangered species for the first time.

“This is an important discovery for the conservation of this species, which is on the brink of extinction,” said Conservancy director Washington Tapia. “We had never seen a young pink iguana.”

The iguanas were first spotted in 1986, but not recognized as a distinct species (Conolophus marthae) until 2009. The lizards are born green and turn pink as adults. They can grow up to a foot and a half long when they’re at their pinkest.

Their habitat is  threatened by rats and the volcano itself, which erupted earlier this year, but fortunately is so far  absent of invasive humans. 

To preserve these embattled creatures,  donate on galapagos.org.

Photo credit: GNPD / Galápagos Conservancy