‘Green’ invasion project gets funding
Green iguana at the golf course, Grand Cayman
(CNS): The government has allocated some $200,000 from the Environmental Protection Fund in order to begin a major project to tackle the invasive green iguanas head on. The goal is to completely eradicate the iguanas from the Sister Islands, where the rogue reptile has been seen in small numbers for several years, and to make a dramatic reduction in the estimated 100,000 population in Grand Cayman, where the iguanas are now causing a multitude of problems, both economically and environmentally.
From the cost to the local power firm to wrap hundreds of transformer poles in an effort to limit the number that can get on the lines to the poisoning of pet dogs from the bacteria in the iguana meat, the proliferation of the invasive creatures is taking a serious toll. The Department of Environment said the National Conservation Council (NCC) Invasive Species Committee is currently working on a way forward to tackle the issue but a spokesperson from the department told CNS it was a “daunting task”.
However, with some last minute juggling in Finance Committee last week, Environment Minister Wayne Panton confirmed that at least $200,000 from an additional $1.5M appropriation from the EPF will cover the costs of the research and possible solutions, including a possible bounty, but given the numbers there will not be a single solution to the problem.
Invasive green iguana, which breeds prolifically on Grand Cayman
“The priority is to eradicate the green iguana from the Sister Islands before it can get a footing on Little Cayman or Cayman Brac,” Panton said. He told CNS that while the situation in Grand Cayman is beyond eradication, researchers believe there is still a chance to address the problem on the two smaller islands, where the numbers are still relatively low.
“We need to address that threat as quickly as possible,” he said.
With no natural native predators – just dogs — their adaptation and proliferation on Grand Cayman has created a perfect storm. But Panton said the project would also focus on trying to reduce the massive population of well over 100,000 on Grand Cayman – almost double the amount of humans living here.
In December 2014, the Terrestrial Unit of the DoE and a US Fisheries and Wildlife representative completed the first island-wide population survey of the green iguanas and found the estimated population size of juvenile and adults, excluding hatchlings, could be as high as 152,000, though DoE Terrestrial Research Officer Jane Haakonsson explained that this was an initial pilot study and not definitive research.
“We don’t yet have data about reproduction and survival to estimate population rate of change in births and deaths,” she said. “However, we suspect the population has increased in size given the high reproductive rate of these reptiles, and additional surveys this year will help establish a much better understanding of the growth of the population.”
Grand Cayman’s endemic blue iguana was almost extinct a few years ago
Knowing the numbers would be very important for any control strategy to be effective, she said. The committee charged with coming up with ideas to tackle the reptilian scourge is chaired by world renowned iguana expert, Fred Burton, best known for his conservation work with Cayman’s own iconic blue iguana, which remains endangered.
The NCC is focusing on a major culling programme for Grand Cayman but trained tracker dogs could tackle the much lower numbers now present on the Sister Islands, which the DoE said needed much tighter border control measures to prevent more greens arriving there.
With several approaches and culling methods planned for Grand Cayman, DoE Deputy Director Tim Austin said the funding from the EPF would be critical to help determine what can actually work. From paying culling teams to specialist equipment for disposal of carcasses and public outreach campaigns, he noted a number of logistical issues to address and the uncertainty of what can achieve the best results quickly and cost effectively.
The road kill, the damage to crops, flowers and plants, the faeces and the greens’ propensity to take a dip in people’s pools makes them a pest for everyone, but their negative impact goes beyond just being a nuisance.
CUC has confirmed that the firm is applying metal around the transformer poles to stop the greens from climbing them but a spokesperson said that still doesn’t prevent the reptiles from accessing the lines from nearby trees and buildings. The Engineering Services Department that records data regarding outages revealed that between 1 January 2014 and 31 May 2015, they had 61 outages caused by animals, affecting 16,355 customers. While frogs, birds and even snakes can be responsible, the iguanas are certainly adding to the power supply interruptions.
Meanwhile, the islands’ vets are also faced with growing numbers of pets, mostly dogs, that are brought to their surgeries, often very ill, because they have eaten the iguanas, which the dogs chase.
Sister Islands’ rock iguana is also threatened
“Reptiles ingest all sorts of bacteria, such as salmonella and E.coli, as well as other very nasty bacteria,” said Dr Ioana Popescu from Island Veterinary Services. She urged dog owners to keep their pets away from the iguanas and told CNS that the surgery is seeing several sick dogs a day now that have eaten green iguana.
As Cayman faces an uphill task to deal with the proliferation of the green iguana, ironically in its native environment in the rain forests of northern Mexico, Central America, southern Brazil and some Caribbean islands it is listed as a protected species by CITES because of its scarcity in its original habitat and the pet trade in the United States.
Before a change to the local legislation in 2010, the greens could not be legally killed because they were inadvertently included in the law protecting Grand Cayman’s endemic and truly endangered blue iguana and the rock iguana on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Now, however, green iguanas can be culled lawfully in the Cayman Islands without breaking any international treaties or local laws.
Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
Capture the largest ones, sterilize them, set them free. They appear to bully smaller green iguanas and I wouldn’t be surprised if they are the most prolific breeders – let them work against each other. They’ll also be easier to catch later. Then focus efforts on finding egg clutches and culling smaller iguanas. Predators, roadkill should round out the effort. Get it done!!!!
In England, any person over the age of 18 can purchase an air rifle and operate it without a licence. People below the age of 18 (I believe) cannot purchase air rifles, but can operate them under the supervision of someone over 18. Why can’t the Caymanian Government treat the adults in this country like adults, and allow us to purchase air rifles? Before the anti-gun lobby jump on this, let me say yes, there will always be some nut-jobs who will abuse the privilege (in the same way we have nut-jobs who abuse the privilege of being old enough to purchase alcohol and take charge of a motor vehicle). Very little can be done about such people, but the rest of us who can behave in a mature and responsible manner should not be penalised. The rights of the many should not be jeopardised by the actions of the idiot few. The green iguana population would soon be brought under control with the introduction of air rifles, and for a lot less than $200,000.
$200,000 really??? For $150 I can get two mongoose from Jamaica and problem solved for the iguanas and feral chickens – guaranteed!!! Government surely can blow money foolishly….
Oh great, intoduce an invasive species to eradicate another invasive species. You do realize mongooses will eat the blue iguana eggs, birds and bird eggs, sea turtle eggs, and so on?
Moron. The mongoose were an ecological disaster for Jamaica. They would kill the greens and the blues and the chickens and the crabs and the birds and the snakes and the lizards …
This Govt sure can make laws and spend money on things that are less important. Address the unemployment issue for Caymanians! Move the dump! Jeez!
As long as it’s two female or males – we don’t need to swap one problem for another.
from the simpsons:
Lisa worries the town will now become infested by lizards rather than the pigeons, but Skinner assures her they will send in “wave after wave of” Chinese needle snakes, then snake-eating gorillas, and then “when wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.
Don’t kill them send the babies to the Green Iguana Conservation Project in Belize
Why can’t they come and get them?
Instead of killing them maybe the government can allocate funds to ship the babies or eggs to conservation projects like the Green Iguana Conservation Project in Belize
Wonder if this will be like Mekeevers Park Rangers, where government pays some people to do nothing.
Why not just let someone start catching them and exporting them , people by them in the US as Pets all the time..Why is it so hard for people to see new business opportunities.. Just like the LionFish.
Who is stopping you? Take the initiative if you think it is viable. The Government is offering big discounts on your t&b licence to encourage those who see opportunities!
Ignoring the problem of the green iguanas is just like years ago when the problem of gangs emerged and ignored!! Too late, too late shall be the cry!!!!
they need to get rid of the ching chings on mary street and dump road b4 that problem spreads any more
o wait I often see your leaders feeding them in the evening
Here is an idea ever see the ads on ecay trade that say iguanas caught
try giving those young men a job
I guess the GOVT is just trying to put these boys out of business
HOW SAD the man always trying to keep someone from earning an honest dollar
Perhaps its because they don’t have a T&B to catch the iguanas
Or perhaps people just don’t want to have to pay to rid their property of iguanas once again its the governments problem
Perhaps you didn’t read the article fully – one of the proposals under consideration is for the Government to PAY those young men you talk about to capture the green iguana….
for $200,000 I can build a super slingshot.
We catch them, aim the slingshot at Honduras , load the sling and fire.
Everyone’s a winner.
It would help with the Cuban problem as well. They always want to go on to Honduras.
Then in exchange for water, food and boat repair, we should require them to transport the critters with them o0mn their journey.
I was talking about sling shooting them as well.
Damn no good paper iguanas. Taking over the neighborhood of the indigenous population.
@People For An Ezzard Free L.A. I have only heard of one Ezzard and he is right here in Cayman.So if you want “an Ezzard Free LA’ the answer is simple;move away to any place other than Cayman that has a Legislative Assembly.
$200,000 (Two Hundred T’ousand Dollars)
I wonder… if I were to dress-up in a green iguana costume, would that help me with a small business loan or nah.
1.06, I would avoid eating anything in restaurants labelled “chicken” once the cull starts.
100,000 is way too low of an estimate. I have around that number in my back yard alone!
i like all iguanas….of all colours….
Here’s an idea: Invite environmentalists, vets, volunteers and poachers from Central America to come here and remove the animals. Use the $200,000 to house and feed the hunters and to pay for exporting the Green’s to other countries. Just make sure they don’t take any of our precious Blue’s with them in the process.
So if these animals are endangered in other countries, why not work out a deal with them to export live animals for their rain forests? Apparently they came from Honduras, so it wouldn’t hurt to send them all to Central America where they belong. Should we choose to hunt and kill them all, disposing of the carcases would pose a health risk that would add to the inconvenience and expense and we don’t need that.
Health Risks?? Have you seen the roads lately????? Dead iguanas liter the roads, don’t mean to be gruesome, but guts and blood all over…every couple of feet!!
We have been trying to get rid of a pile of tyres for about 3 years, and it doesn’t move, except up. How long do you think it would take to hunt down 100,000.00 reptiles, keep them alive, and then when we have enough, pile them onto a cargo plane? Ain’t going to happen. Plan B, give some of the youth with no job a chance to earn a few dollars. $2 a pop x 100,000.00 there you go, money well spent.
Green taking over from blue is natural evolution. Millions of species have naturally died out through time to the benefit of the planet. Move on!
Is it not natural evolution as man transported the greens to Grand Cayman, hence why they are classed an invaisive species
The problem with that theory is humans are the only reason the blues are struggling for survival. Had we not shown up on these shores 500 years ago, the blues would be doing just fine.
Government – see what happens when you ignore the obvious and do nothing. This problem is now simply a result of Government incompetence. It took too long to notice and then do anything. At least the current administration is trying, but please – other issues are being ignored and creating growing problems that will turn around and bite us.
Do you mean the problem of losing good expats who enhanced life in Cayman and fully integrated into the community.Expats from England and America are a dying breed who need protection.
Yup. The anti British (for no good reason) post colonial Eastern Caribbean mentality pervades. It is so sad.
Sent my children to the good ol US Cayman is just getting too dangerous
The police have failed
I have butcher knives all over my home sad thing is when I chop up a criminal I will be in trouble
Soon I will join my family and my money and experience will be gone also
Anybody want some cheap property?