Around 34 million years ago, iguanas embarked on an incredible journey. They traveled over 5,000 miles from North America to Fiji, which is quite possibly the longest journey ever recorded for a land animal. Researchers believe these iguanas rode on rafts made of vegetation, perhaps after a cyclone toppled trees, carrying them along ocean currents.
Simon Scarpetta, an environmental science professor at the University of San Francisco, explains this fascinating phenomenon. “It’s amazing to think about how they might have made such a long journey. A cyclone could have knocked over trees with iguanas and their eggs, putting them right into the water,” he said.
Fiji is home to bright green lizards known as Brachylophus, the only iguanas found outside the Western Hemisphere. The mystery of how they arrived there has puzzled scientists for years. A recent genetic study revealed that Fiji’s iguanas are actually much closer to their cousins in the Americas than anyone realized. This indicates a direct route from the West Coast of the United States to Fiji approximately 34 million years ago.
Jimmy McGuire, a biology professor at UC Berkeley, found the idea that iguanas reached Fiji directly from North America surprising. “It seems unbelievable,” he stated. However, earlier models—suggesting they floated from nearby lands—didn’t fit the timeline either, so this new evidence provides clarity.
Prior to these findings, some scientists speculated that Fijian iguanas came from long-extinct relatives that once lived across the Pacific or that they drifted from more southern regions. Now, with better genetic analysis, the picture is clearer.
Scarpetta’s research involved DNA from over 200 iguanas around the globe, showing that Fiji’s species are most similar to desert iguanas from North America. These desert-dwellers can withstand extreme heat and periods without food and water—traits that would have helped them survive the long sea voyage. “If any lizard could journey across the Pacific on a raft, a desert iguana-like ancestor would be the one,” he concluded.
This fantastic journey underscores how resilient life can be. It highlights the adaptability of species as they navigate environmental challenges, like shifting climates and rising sea levels. As we look at climate change today, understanding these historical journeys can give us insight into how species might respond to future changes in their habitats.
These findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). You can read more about this fascinating research here.
The journey of iguanas to Fiji was not just impressive in scale; it reminds us of the hidden connections within nature. It’s a testament to life’s resilience and the mysteries that still exist in our world.
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