The Unique and Amazing Galápagos Marine Iguanas

You will not find marine iguanas like me anywhere else in our world. We are the only sea-going lizards! When marine iguanas don’t have enough to eat, they not only become thinner, they also become shorter. Scientists have observed that during times of EI Niño-induced food shortages, our bodies shrink in length and then regrow when food becomes plentiful again. The researchers think that we actually digest up to 20% of our bones to survive. Adult iguanas can switch between shrinkage and growth repeatedly throughout their lifetime – a perfect adaptation to EI Niño events.