Iguanas hail primarily from tropical regions of Central and South America.

These fascinating reptiles, especially the iconic green iguana (Iguana iguana), thrive in lush environments like rainforests and coastal areas, where they've evolved over millennia to bask in the sun and dive into rivers when threatened. Native populations stretch from southern Mexico down through countries like Colombia, Brazil, and Paraguay, extending to numerous Caribbean islands including Grenada, Aruba, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Native Range Details

  • Core Habitat : Southern Mexico (Sinaloa, Veracruz) to central Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and beyond the Tropic of Capricorn.
  • Caribbean Islands : Grenada, Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Saba, Montserrat, and Útila.
  • Eastern Pacific Coast : Some coastal areas, with marine iguanas uniquely adapted in the Galápagos (a related but distinct species).

Introduced populations now dot places like Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, often via the pet trade, turning them into invasive species in these non-native spots. Picture a green iguana lounging on a Florida canal bank today—far from its ancestral jungle perches, yet a testament to how humans have spread these "tree chickens" worldwide.

Why Here? Evolutionary Backstory

Iguanas originated in South America, radiating northward through Central America and the Caribbean, as DNA studies confirm deep lineage splits between southern and northern groups. They're arboreal herbivores, munching leaves and fruits in humid tropics, with keen eyesight and a detachable tail for predator escapes—adaptations honed in predator-rich Neotropical wilds.

TL;DR : Iguanas are from Central/South America and Caribbean islands; now widespread due to introductions.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.