Pink iguanas on Galapagos untouched by volcano's lava

Quito - The world's only colony of pink iguanas has been spared by lava flowing from Wolf volcano on the Galapagos Island archipelago, the Galapagos National Park confirmed on Thursday.

The volcano erupted on Monday, sending lava down the south-eastern slope of the mountain on Isabela Island. It missed the pink iguanas by 6km, park officials said.

The eruption, however, affected some lizards and snakes. No humans were endangered.

The pink iguanas live predominantly on the northern side of the volcano. Yellow iguanas and giant tortoises also live on the north side.

The 1 707-metre-high volcano, which last erupted in 1982, is the highest peak in the Galapagos archipelago. It is 115 kilometers south of the nearest town, Puerto Villamil.

The Galapagos Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean about 1 000km off the coast of Ecuador. They were named a World Heritage Cultural Site by Unesco in 1978. Many animal and plant species are found only on the island chain.