No, The Belize Zoo does not have an "official enclosure" home for the beloved Green Iguana. However, walking down the shaded pathways usually provides the opportunity to see one of these gentle lizards stalking about. Spot a big orangey-brown iguana? That, for sure, is a male. The females are always green and much smaller than their male counterparts.

Our zoo resident Green Iguanas share food daily with the Tapirs and the Deer, and none of the involved parties show signs of conflict with this eating strategy! This spring, somewhere on zoo grounds, a gravid female laid her eggs. The months of March and April are key times for females to lay their eggs in Belize. They prefer sandy areas because it allows them to dig out their "nursery-nesting-niche". The eggs hatch in late May or June, and out crawl miniature Green Iguanas, ready for life in Belize.

A clutch of iguana eggs can easily number over 50 eggs! This high number, however, does not ensure that all will survive once they do hatch. Iguana eggs themselves have a mountain of hungry predators. A troop of Coatimundis can easily bring a nest-full of Green Iguana eggs to ground zero! Once a nest of Green Iguana eggs hatches, predation is still a large threat. Birds-of-prey, wild cats, Tayras, Coatimundis, Grey Fox... The Green Iguana Food-Fan Club list is a long one!

Green Iguanas eat only plants. They prefer living near rivers. This habitat type provides food, shelter, and sandy banks where they can nest. Green Iguanas are good swimmers, too. If one of these placid lizards feels threatened, it will quickly dive into the water, and, using its long tail as an efficient "engine-rudder", swims swiftly away from danger.

Sadly, numbers of Green Iguanas in Belize are declining. This isn't the fault of the hungry Coatimundi, it is our fault. People still over-harvest Green Iguanas, especially the gravid females. It is a popular belief that eating iguana eggs provides more sexual vigor for men folk. This myth has led to a consistent decrease in our Belizean Green Iguanas. Then, add intense collecting for the stewpot . These combined practices simply result in our having less and less Green Iguanas. Hey! It doesn't taker a Wizard to see that it's tough to be a Lizard...We are happy to offer a safe and secure home for the Green Iguanas freely roaming the grounds of The Belize Zoo!

The Mexican red-rumped tarantula is the most common type of tarantula found in Belize. And for many people, this is one of the SCARIEST creatures which calls Belize home, too!

But don't be scared! Tarantulas are shy and timid spiders. They may have a "horror movie" reputation, but in reality, tarantulas only attack insects and very small animals, so that they can eat and survive.

They are large, black, hairy spiders with pretty red rumps, and their gangly eight legs can bring about a few raised and concerned eyebrows. But remember! They are gentle by nature!

Think about this: We consider the mosquito a mere nuisance in our lives, yet these flying pesky insects gives us malaria and yellow fever! Now THAT'S something to be fearful of!

If you see a tarantula crossing one of our roads, that would be a male, on the move. The females are far more sedentary. And the tarantula gals live much, much longer than the males. While a male tarantula will live 2-5 years, a female can live well over 10 years, and when she has youngsters, she has over 15 in one hatching.

At The Belize Zoo, you can have an exciting "spider experience"! Belize Zoo staff is ready and waiting to introduce you to our zoo tarantula, and all who have made the acquaintance of "Tarantula Tom", absolutely love it!

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