Nobody could accuse this fellow of being a lounge lizard because the Black Spiny-tailed Iguana can really move. In fact, with a top speed of 21.7 mph or 34.6 kph, it even has its own spot in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest running lizard on earth. They are native to Mexico and Central America and have also been introduced to southern Florida.
I took this photo in the Mayan ruins of Tulum in Mexico on May 31st last year. He was over a metre long and, incredibly, after donning my running shoes and chasing him along the Mexican coast for twenty minutes I eventually caught up with him. No, I just made that last bit up. Fortunately for me he was sunning himself on the rocks or my photo would have just been of a blurry dot in the distance.
how fast is it??
ReplyDeletegreat picture by the way
I must remember not to make him angry at me. Definitely hungry and mean.
ReplyDeleteI just love your sense of humor! :)
ReplyDeleteis that the one who can run with 2 legs??~ : D
ReplyDeleteZ.A.T., no it's not famous for that: four legs are faster than two. Desert lizards, like the Australian Frilled Lizard and the Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard, are the ones that most often run on their hind legs, but all lizards and even caimans below a certain size have the ability to run on two legs, so it could do if it wanted to. The Basilisk Lizard, nicknamed the Jesus Lizard, can actually walk on water on its hind legs.
ReplyDeleteOwh! I see, that's the one I thought it was, it's a weird nick name for a lizard eyh~ lol, I love lizards, only big one, not like geckos tho XD
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh, i fell for it, hook, line and sinker... hey - wonder if he has swine flu?
ReplyDeleteok, he REALLY gives me the creeps.
ReplyDelete