#3 Marine Iguana Snot Rockets

To be honest, these guys are one of the reasons I went to the Galapagos in the first place. How could you not love their adorable little faces?

I even have one tattooed on my arm (sorry Mom!) to commemorate the experience of being fortunate enough to see these guys in the wild.

What I didn’t realize until I met them in person however, was just how bad of an attitude these dudes have.

While most of the animals on the Galapagos are either curious of people, or super patient with tourists gettin’ all up in their business, marine iguanas are way more antisocial.

The iguanas display their displeasure by blowing snot rockets in your general direction if you get to close to what they consider their personal space. Space which might not even be that close, depending on the iguana.

And let me tell you, these feisty reptiles are amazingly accurate and can get some serious loogie distance.

Apparently, the snot rockets do serve a practical purpose, and not jut to show their disdain for the human race. Marine iguanas need to clear the salt buildup in their nostrils due to the large amounts of time they spend in the ocean.

But is it really a coincidence that the closer you get to these grumpy lizards, the more often they felt the need to blow their noses?

I guess if my nose waa constantly full of sea salt, I would be irritable too.

All orneriness aside, I love these little guys, even if it it’s not reciprocated. They are such a special part of the Galapagos, marine iguanas deserve a top spot even with a bad attitude!