As I mentioned previously, this past Saturday my friends fished from their boat while I waded along the shore of a spoil island in Tampa Bay. The unnamed island is set aside for wildlife so no humans are allowed on land. As long as I kept my feet in the water I wasn’t breaking the rules.

I was looking for shells but movement around the bend of the beach caught my eye. I slowly approached, hoping to get a closer look at the animal and was absolutely amazed to find the largest Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) I’ve ever seen.

I’ve come across them before in Costa Rica and the Florida Keys, but this one was immense. His body was almost 3 feet long, with a tail close to 4 feet. This male was an absolute beast, incredibly colorful, and clearly eating well. I think he should be studied because he was definitely not your average iguana.

I was certainly not expecting to see one of these on the island. While they are native to Central and South America (and are common invasives in the Keys and southern Florida) they are quite rare up here.

I was thrilled to spend time watching him stroll along the beach. I think I have a good name for that place, Iguana Island!