Eliminating iguanas is no simple matter
Choose humane solutions or risk being charged with a crime
If those pesky iguanas have pushed you to the limit, there’s a solution: You could kill them. Just do it humanely. You can shoot them with a pellet gun, stab them in the brain, even decapitate them if they don’t suffer. But don’t freeze them, drown them or poison them, or you could end up behind bars.
South Florida’s iguana population has exploded, along with some residents’ frustration. The invasive reptiles have a penchant for destroying landscapes, damaging seawalls and
pooping in pools. They also might be frightening to see, resembling some type of prehistoric creature.
But there are wrong ways to remove or kill them. Even pest-control specialists who kill thousands of iguanas were outraged last month when a 6-foot green iguana turned up in Plantation, shot five times with a crossbow.
Getting rid of an iguana could be as easy as hiring an expert trapper, but state law lets you take iguana removal into your own hands — to a point. Here’s a look at the do’s and don’ts.
Q: How can I legally kill an iguana?
A: The general guideline is to end the iguana’s life instantly — suddenly and without any suffering. Hitting the iguana on the head with a shovel is OK, as long as you aim correctly and kill it in the first stroke. Hit it more than once and you could be charged with a crime. But beware: With an animal such as an iguana — capable of defending itself
with a tail whip — a kill in one fell swoop poses a challenge, said Ron Magill, animal ambassador for Zoo Miami.
“Unless you have an animal that you can have in your hand, [killing humanely] is very hard to do,” Magill said.
Q. What are the penalties for cruelty to an iguana?
A. Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor of the first degree, which can be punished with a year in prison, a fine of $5,000 or both.
Q: Is it legal to freeze them to death?
A: Freezing was once allowed, but not anymore, said Joe Wasilewski, a conservation biologist who is a member of the iguana specialist group of International Union for the Conservation of Nature. “I like freezing, but it’s not recommended because scientists found that as the brain crystalizes, it causes them pain,” Wasilewski said.
Q. Can you legally kill them with a pellet gun? Is a firearm allowed?
A. An air pellet gun may be used – unless you live in one of a handful of cities that forbid air pellet guns. Firearms are a different matter: Most cities do not allow guns to be fired on private property, except at firing ranges.
Q. Are there rules for trapping iguanas so you have a better shot at making one lethal strike?
A. Iguanas may be captured alive by methods including nets, cage traps and noose poles, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman said. State guidelines make homeowners responsible for any animal caught in traps. All traps must be checked at least once every 24 hours, and any animals captured are required to be released on site. Trapping makes it easier to hit the right target in one fell swoop.
Q. Can you trap and take them elsewhere?
A. No. Relocating them to live in the wild elsewhere could introduce viruses and bacteria to wildlife in the new location that is illequipped to handle it, biologists and state wildlife officials say.
Q. Why is poisoning not allowed?
A: Iguanas are not like rats and poisoning them is not effective and not considered humane because of the potential for animal suffering, said Tom Portuallo, who runs Iguana Control, based in Davie. “When you put out poison, you can’t control what’s going to consume it,” Portuallo said.
Portuallo also doesn’t think it’s OK to use poison when you consider some people eat iguanas. “Now you’ve got an iguana with a chemical in its body,” he said.
Only professionals with the right licenses are allowed to inject lethal drugs for euthanasia.
Q: Are there steps you can take to discourage lizard congregation without having to kill it?
A: Yes. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission encourages homeowners to fill in holes to discourage iguanas from burrowing. Hanging wind chimes and compact discs with shiny surfaces also may annoy iguanas and make them leave your property.
Q. What other alternatives are there to killing iguanas?
A. The wildlife commission has begun holding workshops, offering tips on how residents can live in harmony with them. Among them: Use wire mesh screening to create a barrier around plants. Install chicken wire at least one foot beneath the soil around your fences or seawalls to prevent iguanas from digging underneath them. Or install electric fencing.
Q. How is that wounded iguana in Plantation doing?
A. The reptile, nicknamed “Godzilla,” was taken to the South Florida Wildlife Center and received treatment for injuries. The lizard is well on his way to recovery — transferred this week to Flamingo Gardens, a wildlife sanctuary in Davie.
“He’s feisty as all get-out,” said Deborah Millman, director of outreach for the wildlife center.