It’s the time of year when the iguanas tend to be out and about. It hasn’t been raining so they are looking for water, and they are also looking for each other because it’s time to lay eggs.

The other day an iguana was stuck in the neighbor’s yard behind the fence. Usually they just go through a chain link fence but this one was too big to fit through so he was having a problem. Thank goodness the neighbor dogs hadn’t spotted him or he would have had to climb the fence in a hurry!

He’s up the fence checking out the situation

Nope, he’s not fitting through this fence

Finally he figured out he has to climb all the way up and over the top. He jumped down on the other side and ran off through the yard.

The iguanas may look odd and clumsy, but they can move surprisingly fast. They can run well, and they are expert climbers. They can get up a tree very quickly and hide so well they are sometimes impossible to spot.

I don’t know if this is the same iguana, but the next day there was one in our yard in the same predicament. He had been visiting the compost pile to see if there was anything good to eat. When he saw us peek around the corner he took off at a run, trying to find a way out of the yard.

First he ran along the wall looking for a possible way through.

Then, he checked out the chain link but was too big to get through.

There is a spot a bit farther up the fence where the chain link is a bit open. He headed in that direction so we figured he’d find it and make his way out. Or, he’d use the vegetation to help climb the fence.

I love seeing these big lizards! They are so interesting looking, and it’s fun to have them outside in their natural state. People eat them and hunting has decreased the population but Panama is making an effort to protect them and take care of them. I’m glad there are enough that we see quite a few of them.