The reptile park at Ti Point has become a nursery for 20 green iguana.
They are believed to be the first reptiles of their kind bred in NZ.
Ti Point Reptile Park director Ivan Borich says that keeping iguana as pets is illegal in NZ and there are only two known pairs here – at Ti Point and in the Wellington Zoo.
The young were hatched in an incubator from a large clutch of eggs.
“They are unusual reptiles in so much as they are plant, rather than meat, feeders,” Ivan says. “In the wild they would probably forage on leaves, but we feed them on things like puha, thistle and dandelion.”
The male iguana at Ti Point is about 1.2 metres, but is probably not full grown. They have been known to grow up to 2m and can weigh more than nine kilograms. The female is slightly smaller.
“Two thirds of the male is tail, which he will use as a whip if threatened.”
Iguana are natives of Central and South America where many thousands are kept as pets, mainly because of their calm disposition and bright colours.
In NZ, their care involves special attention to lighting and heat.
Ivan says he hopes to maintain a group of iguana at the park, while others will be dispersed to other zoos.
