Cyclura cornuta

Rhinoceros Iguana

Small projections on the snout give this iguana its memorable name.

Reference photo, not the individual on display. Credits appear below.

Care commitment Plan for adult size

Habitat Ground & cover

Visiting Watch quietly

Meet your new acquaintance

Nickname Rockland Grazer

Diurnal; mainly terrestrial

Species highlights

Little horns, large ground lizard

“Rhinoceros” comes from the horn-like snout projections, formed from specialised scales rather than miniature mammalian rhino horns.

They are usually more prominent in adult males, but size alone does not settle sex or establish every proposed function. Age and individual variation matter.

Following the snout to the broad head, throat and shoulders returns the borrowed nickname to a whole Caribbean animal with its own evolutionary history.

Feature sources:

Sacramento Zoo · Rhinoceros Iguana

At a glance

Rhinoceros iguanas are native to Hispaniola and associated islands in the Caribbean, using dry rocky ground, scrub and open habitats. They forage and bask by day, with a more ground-oriented lifestyle than the largely tree-dwelling green iguana.

Ground space must connect feeding, turning, basking and shade. Its sturdy body suggests a more rock-and-ground-oriented life than the green iguana’s familiar canopy image.

Plant feeding and ground nesting complete that picture. Snout projections vary with age and sex, forming one part of an island iguana’s biology rather than its whole identity.

Common names Rhinoceros Iguana

Scientific name Cyclura cornuta

Native rangeHispaniola and related nearby Caribbean islands

Adult sizeOften about 1.0–1.3 m total length

ActivityDiurnal; mainly terrestrial

Diet Base feeding on varied suitable leafy plants, fibrous vegetation and edible flowers, with limited fruit and appropriate calcium. Willingness to eat animal food does not make meat or protein-rich feeders suitable staples.

Habitat & care

Provide large ground areas, secure rock platforms, UVB, local basking and strong barriers, with a plant-based diet.

Values guide routine care, not breeding or brumation. Dimensions are length × width × height for one adult unless stated otherwise; larger animals need more space.

TemperatureBasking surface 40–50°C Daytime air 30–35°C; night 25–28°C. JZAR husbandry reference; retain cooler retreats.

HumidityDry + humid hide The checked source gives no single RH target. Do not copy a green-iguana high-humidity scheme; offer water, ventilation and a humid retreat.

LightingUVB & shade Choose UVB intensity and distance for the species, with a fully shaded retreat.

Space300×150×150 cm Recommended starting recommendation for one adult facility; scale up with body size, secure locks and barriers, and separate basking and cool zones.

Look a little closer

Locate the snout projections in profile and compare head and throat outlines, then trace the dorsal crest toward the tail. Watch sturdy toes and claws make contact during walking. During a turn, compare the repositioning of broad trunk and long tail.

Care note: Plan adult space and secure boundaries without chasing or crowding it.

About this profile

Size ranges are reference values; sex, origin and age affect appearance.

Profile status: Reference profile · Reviewed 2026-10-20

References (5)

Photo: Tim Ross · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons，resized for display · Original image, credit and licence

Behaviour notes describe the species, not a promise about every individual. These care notes introduce its needs; ask our team about the animal on display and any supervised encounters.