Stowaway Iguana Hitches Ride From Cancun To CA In A Bikini Top

FOSTER CITY, CA — A Foster City woman brought a little more than just souvenirs and sand back from a recent vacation to Cancun. She hauled in a four-legged stowaway of the spiny-tailed Iguana variety — in her bikini top.

According to the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, the baby Iguana made its way into the Golden State on Aug. 5.

"[The woman] had put her bathing suit out to dry on the balcony of her hotel room, and the next morning, packed up her belongings in her suitcase," said PHS/SPCA Communications Manager Buffy Martin Tarbox. "Unbeknownst to her, a baby iguana had decided to nest in her bathing suit and accidentally hitch hiked to California."

The unidentified woman immediately brought the critter to the local animal shelter in Burlingame when she found it.

Martin Tarbox said the PHS/SPCA reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the USDA to determine what to do in this unique case.

"We were advised that no mandatory quarantine was necessary and he didn’t need to be returned to Mexico," she said. "After treating him for dehydration, he was transported to an animal sanctuary which specializes in such reptiles by the woman who found him."

Spiny-tailed iguanas, which are native to Mexico and Central America, can live up to 25 years, according to Martin Tarbox. They ranch in size from 10 inches to 5 feet.

"It’s common for animals to accidentally stow away in camping gear and clothing," she said. PHS/SPCA recommends carefully shaking out gear and clothing before packing to avoid inadvertently transporting animals from their native areas."

— Images courtesy of PHS/SPCA.