THE UNIQUE MARINE IGUANAS
Marine iguanas are unique, three-foot-long lizards endemic to the Galapagos Islands. They have a few characteristics that make them interesting. They are the only lizards on Earth to ingest algae from rocks on the bottom of shallow Pacific Ocean waters, just off the lava-strewn edges of the Galapagos. They can stay underwater for up to 30 minutes, while grazing on algae, as sheep do in meadows. Since they take in much salt water while ingesting algae in the ocean, they have special salt-expelling glands near their nostrils that "sneeze" out excess salt. And they can slow their heart rates to avoid detection by nearby, predatory sharks. Many aspects of nature are beyond belief. Marine iguanas are cold-blooded, as all reptiles are. And they are as dark as the lava rocks they congregate on to rest and soak up warming sunlight between feeding forays in the ocean. Their coloration camouflages them agains...