Buzz
In South Florida, iguanas better be cautious. Scientists are on an unusual mission to eliminate them, utilizing captive bolt guns and a $63,000 research grant, as reported by the Sun Sentinel.
While it may seem harsh initially, the green iguana, native to Central and South America, is considered an invasive species in Florida. These massive lizards, reaching up to 6 feet in length, first arrived in Florida during the 1960s. Their population has soared, spreading further north. These reptiles wreak havoc on roads, sidewalks, sea walls, and flood-control canals with their burrowing; destroy landscaping; spread Salmonella, often by contaminating backyard pools with their droppings; and compete with the endangered Miami blue butterfly for vital food sources.
The rapid population growth has led to an increase in complaints from locals, as Florida Fish and Wildlife’s Sarah Funck mentioned in a 2017 Sun Sentinel report, prompting the state to seek new methods to manage the reptiles. One such solution? Enlist scientists to track them down and eliminate them.
As part of the Florida Fish and Wildlife research initiative, 15 biologists from the University of Florida have been assigned to eliminate as many iguanas as possible in Broward County, which includes Fort Lauderdale and parts of the Miami metropolitan area. They work in teams of two at night. Equipped with flashlights and captive bolt guns—commonly used in slaughterhouses and regarded as a humane method to quickly and painlessly kill the animals—they try to quietly approach the sleeping iguanas and shoot them before they can flee. At times, the iguanas are killed by striking their heads against hard surfaces, like the side of a truck or boat.
So far, they have exterminated 249 iguanas. The researchers bring the deceased reptiles back to the lab, where they are weighed and measured for their research, and then the carcasses are disposed of in a landfill. The killing efforts are expected to continue until May.
Although attempts have been made to trap the iguanas in county parks, these efforts have not been successful in capturing any animals.
In addition to the iguana eradication project, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been holding public workshops on how to prevent and capture iguanas, and has employed a dedicated trapper to manage iguana populations on public lands in the Florida Keys.
