A TEAM of Ecuadoran and Italian researchers have
discovered a unique species of pink land iguanas living on the Galapagos
Islands, the scientist who wrote the report told AFP.
"It is surprising to have found in the 21st century a find of this
magnitude,'' said Washington Tapia, head of research at the Galapagos National
Park.
Researchers at first thought that the iguanas, which are pink with black
spots, simply had skin pigmentation problems, Tapia said.
The first pink iguanas were discovered in 1986, and after years of research
scientists concluded that it was a unique species.
"We have not yet determined the size of the population, but we estimate that
it is small because we have only captured 36 pink iguanas for research up to
now,'' Tapia said in a telephone interview.
The pink species is can be up to 1.8 meters long as measured from tip to
tail, and unlike the other land iguanas does not have a row of spines running up
its head.
"It is a unique species,'' Tapia said. "But more research is needed to better
determine its unique characteristics.''
Made up of 13 main islands, in 1978 UNESCO declared the islands Patrimony of
the Humanity.
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