A National Geographic animal held still for me today.

[full_metal_ox]

4 March 2025, 13:43 U.S. Eastern Standard Time. This guy, about a foot/30 cm long before figuring in the tail, was sprawled out basking on the walkway leading to the apartment dumpsters; the maintenance crew had come through shortly before, perhaps flushing him from cover:





Once more, apologies for the limitations of my equipment. Even after applying an intensifying filter, the photo does this iguana’s coloring nothing near justice: I’m talking road-cone orange spines and neon-red underarms. Somebody seems to be looking for love.

Comments

[ribirdnerd]

Wow great find!

[full_metal_ox]

I know! I was returning from lunch at a restaurant across the alley and…there he was, right splop on the sidewalk! I regret not having used a higher resolution.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Wow! I have never seen an orange one.

[full_metal_ox]

That’s the male Green Iguana’s (Iguana iguana) mating coloration. Gank him for inspiration if you’d like; I know your fondness for orange.

[weird]

Wow what a lucky encounter!

[shirebound]

Wow, what a beauty! And such an unexpected encounter.

First of many more

[jesse_the_k]

....because it takes quick eyes and quick hands to get that shot.

Re: First of many more

[full_metal_ox]

I fear I can claim neither; it was a matter of opportunity: luck, positioning, and the iguana’s own chill reaction.

That said, I appreciate your words of encouragement!

[adafrog]

Cool.

[full_metal_ox]

My honor and pleasure to share.

[minoanmiss]

gazes

[full_metal_ox]

He lay there looking like the tropics incarnate.

[tozka]

Very cool! What a handsome fellow!

[cmcmck]

What a fascinating creature! :o)

[chestnut_pod]

Now that's a lizard on the lookout for love!

[kaishin108]

How beautiful! I miss seeing lizards here in Idaho. We used to see them all the time in SoCal.

[full_metal_ox]

I never saw lizards in my native Ohio, although I did see occasional snakes and (most often snapping) turtles. Florida, of course, is Lizard Central; curlytails have become the most common where I live, along with geckos and brown anoles.

[kaishin108]

I would just love to see a Gecko, I never have in person. How fun to see all of those. :)

[turlough]

That's such a cool lizard!