Jonathan Lambert

I talked with iguana biologist Cristina de Jesus Villanueva about the paper, and here's what she had to say.

Yeah, these iguanas had so much going against them. It's really, really far, like 5,000 miles of floating across the vast wasteland of the Pacific.

Yeah, these iguanas had so much going against them. It's really, really far, like 5,000 miles of floating across the vast wasteland of the Pacific.

Yeah, these iguanas had so much going against them. It's really, really far, like 5,000 miles of floating across the vast wasteland of the Pacific.

No fresh water, the beating sun.

No fresh water, the beating sun.

No fresh water, the beating sun.

Yeah, so they don't know for sure, but some previous estimates have ranged from like two and a half months to four months or maybe even longer. And that's a really long time, but both Scarpetta and Villanueva told me that if any creature could do it, it's iguanas. And remember, it's not just any iguanas.

Yeah, so they don't know for sure, but some previous estimates have ranged from like two and a half months to four months or maybe even longer. And that's a really long time, but both Scarpetta and Villanueva told me that if any creature could do it, it's iguanas. And remember, it's not just any iguanas.

Yeah, so they don't know for sure, but some previous estimates have ranged from like two and a half months to four months or maybe even longer. And that's a really long time, but both Scarpetta and Villanueva told me that if any creature could do it, it's iguanas. And remember, it's not just any iguanas.

So they could have been totally fine in the sun. And they can also survive a really long time without fresh water or food.

So they could have been totally fine in the sun. And they can also survive a really long time without fresh water or food.

So they could have been totally fine in the sun. And they can also survive a really long time without fresh water or food.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I mean, they are herbivorous, so they could have potentially snacked on the raft, too, if they needed to.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I mean, they are herbivorous, so they could have potentially snacked on the raft, too, if they needed to.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I mean, they are herbivorous, so they could have potentially snacked on the raft, too, if they needed to.

They're not 100 percent sure, which Scarpetta and his colleagues acknowledge in the paper. They think given the available evidence, it's most likely that Fijian iguanas rafted there.

They're not 100 percent sure, which Scarpetta and his colleagues acknowledge in the paper. They think given the available evidence, it's most likely that Fijian iguanas rafted there.

They're not 100 percent sure, which Scarpetta and his colleagues acknowledge in the paper. They think given the available evidence, it's most likely that Fijian iguanas rafted there.

But if, say, some new fossil popped up in Southeast Asia that seemed more closely related to the Fijian iguanas than desert iguanas, that might change the picture because it could imply that iguanas had been in the eastern hemisphere longer.