- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold fiji iguana, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the fiji iguana
Fiji iguanas are the four living species of the genus Brachylophus, native to the islands of Fiji, with one species also present on Tonga where people appear to have introduced it. The genus name comes from Greek words for 'short crest', referring to the low spiny crests along their backs. They are the most geographically isolated iguanas in the world, with their closest relatives living in the Americas. The more widely accepted explanation is that their ancestors rafted about 10,000 km across the Pacific on the South Equatorial Current. Two species were once recognized, but B. bulabula was described in 2008 and B. gau in 2017.
Fiji Iguana facts
- Brachylophus iguanas are the most geographically isolated iguanas in the world.
- Their ancestors may have rafted 10,000 km across the Pacific from the Americas.
- Bulabula, the name of one species, is the Fijian word for 'healthy' or 'flourishing'.
- A giant extinct Tongan relative died out in prehistoric times after human predation.
Where to see fiji iguana in the U.S.
4 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding fiji iguana by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
California· 1
Hawaii· 1
Iowa· 1
Texas· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
