Belize – Iguana Tour
Hunting iguanas in Belize has caused the number of Green Iguanas to plummet and become threatened. To counteract this trend, The Iguana Project at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel protects the species and educate individuals about the reptiles. Personally, I loved the tour and had an incredible time. Being an animal admirer and vegetarian, I typically do not like animal-related entertainment, but the Belize Iguana Tour was very educational and endearing.
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Belize Iguana Tour
Arriving to the San Ignacio Resort Hotel
The Belize Iguana Tour is on top of a hill, about a block outside of the center of San Ignacio. The hill is steep and you will feel the jet-lag or post cave river tubing, while climbing the hill. We actually tried to go on the tour twice. The first day, we lost track of time at a very late lunch and arrived at the Hotel at 4:10 pm, 10 minutes after the last tour. We were unable to take the tour.
The next day, we rushed over to the Resort after our river cave tubing day. We made it! This time we had plenty of time to spare before a gentleman in an Iguana Project shirt gathered us up and lead us down to the Iguana Project area. The walk leads you by the pool, which is very lovely and I was eyeing the crochet hammocks. Below the pool and along a little path is a large house – shaped cage. This is where the iguanas were!
At a Glance:
- Rating: 3 (out of 4) stars, would do it again.
- Location: San Ignacio Resort Hotel, San Ignacio
- Cost: $9USD/per person
- Restrooms: In the lobby
- Duration: 45 mins – 1 hour
Highlights:
- Learning about iguanas, how they live in the wild
- Ability to pet, gently hold, and overcome any fears of reptiles
- Watch iguanas munch on food
- Feel like you are supporting a good cause of iguana rehabilitation
Belize Iguana the Tour
Before we entered the cage house to begin the Belize Iguana Tour, we had a brief introduction to the Iguana Project. One thing to note is that The Iguana Project focuses on Green Iguanas, not Spiny Tail Iguanas. There were probably 20 large iguanas lounging about on the various wooden structures and beams. They seemed extremely relaxed.
Almost immediately, our guide placed an enormous iguana on someone’s shoulders. I was a little put off in terms of handling animals so quickly, but we quickly learned how unbothered the iguanas were by gentle touch. Some seemed to even like it – slowly closing their eyes if you stroked softly along the head.
We learned so much about the iguanas. Here are a few random facts I remember from the tour:
- Male iguanas are much larger than the females and turn orange to attract mates in the mating season.
- Iguanas use their claws to climb around trees, where they primarily live. The ground is very dangerous for them. Their long tails help with balance.
- Iguanas’ only defense is to hit you with their extremely long tail. Surprisingly, they do not use their very sharp claws. They also jump from trees to evade predators or go swimming. They can stay underwater for 20-30 minutes.
- Iguanas are herbivores.
- Iguanas are cold-blooded and slow moving to conserve energy. They stay in one place for days at a time, but can run quickly, if needed.
- The female iguanas carry 20 – 80 eggs, depending on their size. They lay their eggs in tunnels they dig into soft soil they find.
- If an iguana is not cared for well as a pet, there is a high risk of the spine deformity. There was an iguana with this condition that they named after Nicki Minaj.
It was sad to see the mistreated iguana. There was also another male iguana, who had his front claws bitten off in a fight with another male over females. It was difficult for this iguana to get around because he had nothing to grip onto. All of the iguanas we met would eventually be released, except for these two.
Pack This for Belize
Feeding the Iguanas
Even though they are cold-blooded, the iguanas were warm to the touch. I held one iguana for a bit, but I enjoyed petting them and watching them. They do not feel oily, like a snake, and their scales are soft in a way.
Our guide left momentarily and returned with a heaping pile of shredded carrots and leaves. Many iguanas began to move around as soon as they saw the food. Our guide instructed us to hold the carrots in the palm of our hands, like a cup. The iguanas would then use their tongue and necks to reach the food. They either didn’t have teeth or had very small teeth, which made it adorable for them slowly snap at the carrots. Every now and then, they did nipped at the softer parts of my hand, so I liked feeding the iguanas the leaves a little better.
During the feeding, we continued to ask questions about the iguanas. Not too long before our trip, there was a cold snap in Florida. I saw headlines that iguanas were falling out of the trees frozen from not being able to warm themselves. Our guide was certain these iguanas were fine as they regularly fall or jump from trees. I felt relieved, even though I know they are not native to Florida and kind of a nuisance.
Washing up and wrapping up
After feeding, we were satisfied with our iguana interactions and washed our hands at the sink provided. We were a little early for the baby iguanas, but that would have been fun to see! Still, the adult iguanas were plenty cute and interesting.
We asked about whether the released iguanas are friendly to humans. Our guide says that immediately upon releasing the iguanas, their instincts kick in and they are fearful of humans. Only one male has ever returned to the Iguana Project and that is because it was mating season with the females releasing their pheromones. He was not let back in.
Would you do the iguana tour and be surrounded by iguanas? Or is that way too freaky for you? Let us know in the comments!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
Your mention of being a vegetarian and still enjoying the tour and recommending it is helpful for me. I’m pescatarian and am in principle opposed to the concept of petting zoos and zoos generally.