(upbeat music)
- [Narrator] This is the Fiji Banded Iguana,
a creature as stunning as it is rare.
Native to the tiny Fiji Islands in the South Pacific,
it is one of the most geographically
isolated iguanas in the world.
Vibrant like a jewel, these reptiles are considered
a national treasure by the government of Fiji.
Their emerald green colored skin is sensitive to light
and can change color to match its background.
The males like this one are banded with blue streaks.
Their long, spiny toes end in claws to help them climb,
but none of these adaptations can protect this species
from the many threats it faces.
Habitat loss from development,
poaching for the illegal pet trade,
and introduced predators like rats, cats, and mongooses,
all cloud this creature's future.
This is the Fiji Banded Iguana.