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There’s no denying the fact that marine iguanas are SERIOUSLY freaky.
They look like little miniature Godzillas, hissing and sneezing (in order to expel excess salt from their nasal glands) and tending to clutter en masse like kittens.
Marine Iguanas can be found pretty much everywhere in the Galapagos Islands, but they seem to love congregating on the lava-strewn shores, where they can rapidly absorb heat from the sun to warm their bodies after a swim.
They vary greatly from island to island in terms of size and color, from the Christmas Iguanas on Española Island to the brick red colors of the subspecies on Fernandina Island, where there were so many marine iguanas that you had to watch where you walked for fear of stepping on one.
READ MORE: 30 Cool & Weird Ocean Animals Around the World
On land they appear graceless and clumsy, but their flattened tails and spiky dorsal fins make them a wonder to behold in the water.
It’s extremely bizarre to be snorkeling and see a 3- to 5-foot long lizard feeding on algae 25 feet below you, then shimmying their prehistoric-looking bodies like snakes to swim to the surface for air.
But, after a few encounters with this rare and remarkable species, we grew to love them, treasuring their crusty cuteness and their puppy-like penchant for being constantly underfoot. –by Bret Love; photo by Mary Gabbett
If you liked Galapagos Marine Iguanas, you might also like:
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Galapagos Birds: 25 Spectacular Species You Can See on a Galapagos Cruise
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Wildlife of the Galapagos video series: Part I, Swimming with Galapagos Sea Lions
Wildlife of the Galapagos video series: Part 2, Flightless Cormorants
Wildlife of the Galapagos video series: Part 3, Tortoises
Video: Secrets to Swimming With Galapagos Penguins
Galapagos Mystery Fish
DAY 1- Photo Gallery: San Cristobal, Kicker Rock & Genovesa
DAY 2- Photo Gallery: Genovesa & Fernandina
DAY 3- Photo Gallery: Isabela & Santiago
DAY 4- Photo Gallery: North Seymour & Bartolome
DAY 5- Photo Gallery: Santa Cruz & Espanola
PHOTO GALLERY: The Beauty of Galapagos Birds
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