The Iguanas That Rafted To Fiji
Apr 01, 2025•9 min•Ep. 1248
Summary
This episode of Short Wave explores the mystery of how iguanas, native to the Americas, ended up on the remote island of Fiji. Scientists investigated two main hypotheses: gradual migration via ancient land bridges and a trans-oceanic journey on a raft of vegetation. By analyzing genomic data and iguana family trees, they found evidence supporting the rafting theory, highlighting the resilience of these animals and the role of improbable dispersal events in shaping the biological world.Episode description
Most iguanas are indigenous to the Americas. So how did the Fijian species end up on the island, nearly 5000 miles away in the South Pacific? According to a new study in the journal PNAS, it was probably via raft ... that is, on clump of floating trees.
And this rafting hypothesis isn't entirely unprecedented. After hurricanes Luis and Marilyn hit the Caribbean in the 1990s, researchers found that a group of iguanas had floated over 180 miles away from Guadeloupe to the territory of Anguilla.
Want to hear more about iguanas? Or rafts? Or evolutionary biology? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy
And this rafting hypothesis isn't entirely unprecedented. After hurricanes Luis and Marilyn hit the Caribbean in the 1990s, researchers found that a group of iguanas had floated over 180 miles away from Guadeloupe to the territory of Anguilla.
Want to hear more about iguanas? Or rafts? Or evolutionary biology? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy