Attack of the Alien Invaders, National Geographic Magazine: Threatened Lizards On Display

Previous Image Next Image

A woman holds two Ciman rhinocerous iguanas outside the Save the Carribean Iguana booth at the National Reptile Expo in Dayton Beach, Florida. Reptile shows are held by the pet industry to sell to collectors and to inform the public about unusual animals.

Cyclura cornuta is a threatened species of lizard found on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, Haiti, and Dominican Republic. It grows up to 4 ½ feet long and is characterized by the growth of prominent, bony tubercles on the snouts, which resemble horns. The most common species of Cyclura kept in captivity, only 10,– to 15,000 survive in the wild. Captive breeding programs work to continue the species. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) considers the reptile a protected animal.