Green Iguana
(Iguana iguana)

The iguana has 2 eyes that see in color, like you and me. And on top of its head, it has a third eye that only sees light and dark. This eye looks like a gray spot. It doesn't look like an eye at all.
Iguana!
Why does the iguana have an eye
on top of its head?
Remember that an iguana lives in trees and likes to sleep on sunny branches. An eye on top of its head looks straight up at the sky.

And what does it see up in the sky?
Birds, or at least the shadows of birds. Especially a bird that might swoop down and catch a sleepy, young iguana to eat for lunch.

The eye on the top of the iguana's head warns the lizard, and it dives off the branch into the water below. It can drop 50 feet from the rainforest canopy and not get hurt! For the iguana being a good swimmer isn't just fun, it's important for survival.

An iguana can grow to be 6 feet long and half of that is its strong tail. Its tail helps it balance up in the trees, and also helps it swim. In the water, the iguana tucks in its legs and swishes its tail from side to side. Whoosh, it moves quickly through the water. Next time you go to the pool, try to swim like an iguana!


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