Native Reptiles Of Argentina

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a Republic in South America neighboring Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, South Atlantic Ocean, and Mar De Hoces (Sea of Hoces). It is the eighth largest country in the world with an area of 1.1 million square miles. Buenos Aires is the capital and the largest city in the country. The country was colonized by the Spanish from 1502 to 1816 when it was declared independent, after several revolutions. In the early 20^th Century, Argentina was declared the seventh wealthiest developed country in the world due to the re-shaping and refurbishing done after the civil wars. It is a great biodiverse region with several animals ranging from birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians species as well as plants.

Native Reptiles Of Argentina

Boa Constrictor

The Boa Constrictor, scientifically known as Boa Constrictor, also known as the red tailed Boa is found in North Central and South America. It has a length of approximately 13 feet, but it depends on its locality. They are sexually dimorphic where females are bigger than the males. For example, female Boas grow to a length of 10 feet whereas males grow to 8 feet long. It varies in color from brown, gray, or cream patterned with brown towards the tail. Their habitat varies from tropical rainfalls to arid areas but is mainly found in the rainforest due to favorable conditions. They are nocturnal animals as they are more active at night and sleep during the day. They feed primarily on rodents, birds, lizards, and other amphibians. Their numbers have consistently been reducing because of predation and hunting by humans for their skin.

The Chilean Tree Iguana

The Chilean Tree Iguana, scientifically known as Liolaemus chiliensis, is a species of lizards only found in Chile, Neuquen Province, Argentina and is approximately 9.8 Inches long. They lay eggs in the open forest and scrub-steppes, and their diet is mainly made up of insects and other invertebrates. In the past, most of these animals were captured and kept as pets, and this led to a general decline in their population.

Yacare Caiman

Yacare Caiman, scientifically known as Caiman yacare, is a species of Caiman from the family of Alligatoridae found in most countries in Central South America. The males are larger, longer, and heavier than females, for instance, a male can grow up to 9.8 feet, whereas a female can reach a length of 4.6 feet. It feeds mainly on fish, birds, reptiles, and small mammals but the jaguar and the anaconda are their main predators.

Big-Headed Pantanal Swamp Turtle

Big-Headed Pantanal Swamp Turtle, scientifically known as Acanthochelys macrocephaly, is a species Turtle from the Chelidae family found in Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil. It grows up to a length of 9.3 Inches, but females are larger than the males and are more domed. Their habitat is mainly found in the marshes, slow-flowing streams, and swamps. They lay eggs at the end of a very wet season which hatch after six months of incubation. They are not highly endangered