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Discovered only 30 years ago, |
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Fiji's largest surviving reptile was marooned on a handful of its outer islands |
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Crested iguanas |
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They're one of the toughest and most saltwater-tolerant lizards around |
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In the breeding season, |
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males, nearly a metre long battle it out for a mate |
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They begin with a gentle bout of competitive head-bobbing |
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If no-one backs down, things become more animated |
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The loser scrambles for cover |
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So where did these large lizards come from? |
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Some speculate Asia, 4,000 miles to the west, |
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others, the Americas, 5,000 miles to the east |
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But how did they end up here in Fiji? |
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One answer is that the iguanas, the frogs and the millipedes were all carried here by powerful oceanic forces |
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Every day, large waves beat down on tiny islands across the Pacific |
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Imposing as they may be, |
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these have little impact on island life |
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But every year, much larger waves rise out of the ocean |