Marine Iguana

Hello there. I am a marine iguana, and I live in a very special place called the Galápagos Islands. You may have seen other lizards before, but I am very different. In fact, I am the only lizard in the whole world who loves to swim in the ocean to find my food. My home is on the beautiful black, rocky shores. The rocks here get very warm from the sun, and I love to lie on them. Feeling the sun on my dark skin is like being wrapped in a cozy, warm blanket, and it gets me ready for my day.

My body is made perfectly for living by the sea. To swim, I have a long, flat tail that I swish back and forth, moving me through the water just like a fish. The ocean waves can be strong, but I have sharp, sturdy claws. I use them to hold on tight to the slippery rocks under the water so I don't get swept away while I am eating. They are the perfect tools for staying put during my underwater lunch. I have a funny secret to share with you, too. I sneeze out salt. Because I swallow so much salty seawater when I eat, my body needs a way to get rid of it. I have special glands in my nose that collect all the extra salt, and when they are full, I let out a big sneeze. It's my own special superpower.

Every day is an adventure that starts with sunbathing. I cannot just jump into the cool ocean water right away. I need to warm up my body first. I gather on the rocks with hundreds of my friends, and we huddle together in big piles to get extra toasty and warm. Once I feel ready, I dive into the refreshing ocean to munch on my favorite food: delicious green and red algae that grows on the underwater rocks. It is like a big salad bar just for me. Many years ago, a famous scientist named Charles Darwin visited my home. On September 16th, 1835, he watched us swim and sunbathe and wrote that he thought we were fascinating creatures. I'm proud that he found my family so interesting.

My job as an algae-eater is very important for my home. By munching on the algae, I help keep the underwater rocks clean. This makes the whole ocean neighborhood healthier for all the other fish and animals that live here. My friends and I are like the ocean's gardeners. My island home is a unique and wonderful place, and I am happy to be a swimming, sneezing, sunbathing lizard. It is so important that people help protect my home so that my family and I can keep swimming in the sea and cleaning the rocks for many years to come.