Cullers must seek green light from property owners
Green iguanas
(CNS): As cullers gear up to begin the full-scale attack on the invasive green iguana next week, the Department of Environment said they must obtain permission from property owners to go onto their land to track the pest. Over 340 people are expected to take part in the cull across Grand Cayman. The DoE called for sensitivity as the necessary but gruesome initiative to protect Cayman’s indigenous flora and fauna and the wider environment may distress some members of the public. Cullers are encouraged to respect the sensitivities of onlookers and ensure landowners are happy for them to remove the animals from their property.
“It is up to the individual culler to obtain such permissions from the property owners or managers. A culling contract or registration does not confer any authority to enter any property without the owner or property manager’s permission,” DoE officials said in directives issued ahead of the cull for both the public and those taking part.
The cull registration cards carried by green iguana cullers do not give cardholders permission to enter anyone’s private property, nor do they allow cullers to carry firearms. Permission to enter private property must be given by the property owner and permission to use an air rifle during the cull is done through the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service licensing process.
Example of cull card
The RCIPS said it will be granting special licences to cullers registered with the project seeking to use an air rifle, exempting licence holders from Section 18 of the Firearms Law and allowing them to use an air rifle to cull iguana within 40 yards of a public road. But only air rifles of .22 or .25 calibre will be allowed and cullers must apply for a special licence, even if they already have a firearms licence.
“We support the DoE’s mission to manage the population of invasive species on island, and appreciate that air rifles can be the most efficient way to do that,” said Superintendent Adrian Seales, who oversees the Security and Firearms Licensing Unit. “However, there are strict requirements for holding a firearms licence which must be complied with. We will do our best to expedite the process wherever possible, but there will be no relaxing of the requirements.”
All iguana cullers registered with the DoE will be able to start bringing their bounty to the landfill from 8:00am on Monday until 6:00pm in the evening, which will continue every day except Sunday. No green iguanas will be accepted before or after those times and no iguanas will be accepted at all before 8:00am on 29th October.
If a culler has not registered with the DoE beforehand, or does not have a ‘cull card’, which were issued the week of 15-19 October, they will not receive payment.
The DoE is expecting a large number of cullers arriving at the landfill site Monday morning and advised them to come later in the week to avoid lengthy wait times. Cullers are reminded they must not treat iguanas inhumanely.
Advice on how to cull the reptiles has been provided to registered cullers by the DoE. Inhumane treatment of an animal is an offence under the Animals Law and cullers may have to forfeit their registration if they, or any person culling for them, are seen abusing green iguanas or violating other laws.
CNS: The heading and first paragraph have been amended to clarify that the cullers must seek permission to go onto private property. some people were interpreting our initial wording that porperty owners were obliged to grant permission. Apologies to all for the ambiguity.
For any additional questions about the Cull Project contact the Department of Environment by phone at 949-8469 or email doe@gov.ky
For information about licences for air rifles contact the RCIPS on 945-4924 or Gerald.Joseph@rcips.ky
Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
So I’m driving up shamrock road tonight and a fking idiot is reversing back towards east in the left hand lane nearly fking wrote me off, all for a fking lizard I ask you? Jeesas Christ man
I don’t know why people get their knickers in a twist – if you don’t want them to come to your property, then simply don’t give them permission, Just remember not to complain when local produces becomes more and more expensive because farmers are battling Iguanas eating off their entire crop.
Wage a war against mosquitoes, and no one bats an eye. Because they’re invasive and annoying.
Cull green iguanas that are invasive and annoying, suddenly thou shalt not kill is the reasoning against the culling operation.
Sick people wanting to sign up and kill for money
You are sick to even say that!!
CNS , can you pleaase ask all parties involved in organizing the iguanas cull to answer these questions publicly that are proposed in these comments .
There are so many unanswered questions in this culling project , what I see happening if this cull goes ahead and starts before everything is sorted out , the money will run out and the iguanas problem would be bigger than before the culling started .
I was at the GT running track (where dogs and cats are banned for people’s safety) , and people were shooting them in trees while people were running round the track. A richoshet off a tree branch could quite easily blind. a person in one eye. People should only be using rifle’s well away from the general public. Fred Burton …. what do you think ?
Saw this too. Couldn’t believe it.
The concerns raised above are valid and I can assure the concerned resident all measures and precautions are considered prior to engaging in such activities with firearms. On the day in question all persons engaging were licensed firearm holders and all licenses issued have conditions which were met and the method used to carry out the culling was done in a safe and successful manner.
Who is the CO in charge of this lame brain plan?
Driftwood …. figures eh !
Although the wording of the original headline could have been interpreted as meaning landowners are being required to grant permission, that meaning never occurred to me until reading these comments.
Seems certain people are very quick to outrage
I had the entirely equal and opposite reaction when I read it. I thought it meant we had to let them on our property. But I read the article and realised it was just a double entendre.
We have no lizard or fowl in our property, the dog sees to that, but we’re on a corner and the trees lining the three roads around us are always full of huge iguana. Me and the dog are going to try dodge the pellets and stay indoors, which the dog won’t like at all. The sooner this is over the better .
Thank you CIG. Please come and Kill mine….
The comments here show the general IQ of this island. Get off the internet.
Excuse me sir, but the internet was made stupid people from every corner of the world. I suggest you pitch in on a conspiracy theory or stick you over- educated nose in an old fashion book.
As I have read these comments and see that government needs to do some Legislation before the culling starts . What is the use of spending millions of dollars to try and wipe them out , and people are allowed to farm them , and not allow the cullers on there property .
According to the Compass the cullers have been reminded they cannot trespass, which seems the exact opposite of what CNS is saying….
CNS: I’ve reworded the heading and first sentence to clarify. Admittedly, our wording was ambiguous. Nostra culpa.
Love it, now the RCIPS say the air rifle license rules are being relaxed for registered cullers. Why didn’t they mention this beforehand? And if registered cullers have never used one before, where’s the proficiency training?
The real kicker is you must open up your property for cullers, or else WHAT??? Get slapped with a fine, slapped on the wrist, slapped in jail???? This just shows they’re making their half baked plan up as they go along. This is the proverbial Monkey in the Wrench.
CNS can you find out if these registered culling mobs even have liability insurance, because no one I know doing this will talk about that?
CNS: I’ve passed the question onto Auntie.
What foolishness! I’m a property owner and I absolutely WILL NOT give permission for a stranger to enter my property with a weapon designed to kill an animal. Who in the world thought this would be a good idea????
We’re fighting a huge crime problem in Cayman where the use of guns to commit crimes are becoming more and more frequent, yet you’ve given permission for hunters to carry an ‘air gun’ and are encouraging residents to let them onto our property.
Does anyone else see a problem here? I don’t know the difference between an air gun or a real gun, they all look threatening to me – so if I see a stranger entering my property with a gun in hand, what the hell am I suppose to think? Could you (Government) not have come up with a better plan for managing the iguanas than this?
I will confront a stranger who enters my property regardless of whether they have a gun or not and question what this type of confrontation will lead to?
They are also required to wear bright orange vests that say “Iguana Culler” on the back. That should help in identifying. Assuming people actually remember to wear them.
Won’t the vests tip off the iguanas?
If they come to my yard when I am home they are more than welcome to clear out the Iguanas.
But they are not welcome to kill them in front of my 2 kids nor do I want them bringing guns.
This is all of course dependent on whether they actually want to go into my yard with my 130lb+ mastiff.
Wow – I would think that if you indeed do have a 130lb mastiff you would not be so blatant to advertise this considering it is an illegal breed of dog in the Cayman Islands. Do your 2 kids know that?
I am not the OP but it’s usually not the breed it’s the owners and bad breeding that causes the problems leading to dog banning legislation. Just my opinion.
Pissh. The chances of anyone enforcing that law are about as good as someone going to jail for cleaning out a conch bed out of season.
That’s cos they spending a ton a money on killing iguanas and nutting on recruiting marine officers to catch poachers.
Well said
Unless someone just rewrote trespassing laws. I “MUST” NOTHING!
I don’t give a rats ass what your intensions are. You have no *access rights* because you are on some government sponsored holy mission. Enter my back yard and I’ll have you arrested for trespassing and breaking and entering.
Except that trespass is not a criminal offence, and for breaking and entering you need – well, breaking and entering. Don’t you remember the Net News raid that led to Tempura? Not trespass, because one of them worked there, and not B&E because they used a key card. Walking into a yard is trespass, but unless they cut off a lock or cut through a fence, its not B&E.
I hope that some of these commenters are not property owners , if they are we the Islands wouldn’t get rid of the iguanas problem . I wonder if everyone see that there’s a problem with the iguanas ?
I farm raise my green iguanas for food source. so don’t come near my home
Leave my iguanas alone, I cant have random people on my property with any sort of weapon. all of my green iguanas are tame and obey my commands, they have a set feeding time each day. if I catch anyone on my property attacking my pets its not a silly air rifle that is gonna confront them… far worst + 2 huge dogs
I agree that property owners should give the cullers permission to cull the iguanas on their property , but with specific terms and conditions in the agreement . The cullers shouldn’t have to stop and locate property owners to get permission to get the iguanas . With some property owners being of the Islands , by the time that owner is reached for permission , a thousand iguanas could’ve hatched on his property .
All the Cullers should head to that house by Discovery Point!
You come on to my property with the intention of killing the iguanas, I will let my dogs out (in my enclosed yard) – you will not come into my yard again! Am fed up with my fruit trees being stripped by people thinking they are entitled to just take them when they are on private property – DO NOT COME TO MY YARD.
Which one would you rather have on our property ? The pest iguanas eating up everything insight and shitting up your yard , or someone that wiping the iguanas out
Ron,
You do put it bluntly but I could not agree more.They are ruining our garden,eating everything in sight, and polluting our pool with their foul mess which takes ages to remove.A dog would solve the problem but is not a solution for us as we travel frequently.Cullers are welcome.
you’re very aggressive.
The cullers will be shouting “Who let the dogs out. Who! Who!”
there is tons iguana in the back of my house, but there not welcome sorry
Any how any animals or pets get hurt with air rifle pellets I hope they sue someone’s ass off for allowing this. Any reasonable man could envisage numerous obvious possible consequences and ensuing liabilities.
The title of this story is misleading. It should read: Cullers must get permission from property owners/managers.
Yes I agree. I think this title will rustle some feathers for sure!
9:11 pm: you deduced correctly. That is what the headline means.
The headline is written poorly and more literally states that property owners are REQUIRED to allow cullers on their property – i.e. that they “must give green light” to the cullers. The word “must” is a word of obligation or unavoidable consequence, as in, “You must do X”.
The cullers must obtain permission – i.e. a “green light” – to enter the property. The headline, in contrast, states that property owners are required to give that permission – i.e. “MUST give green light”.
Must have proper identification if landowner agrees.
Does the government have insurance for these cullers . What if they damage someones property using an air rifle? Who will pay for the damage . What if they injure someone whilst shooting at an iguana ? There is an endless list of potential scenarios and with so many people involved in this project there is a real risk of incident. If there is no insurance they will not be coming onto my property.
How do we know they won’t accidentally hit a pet or a human? Who is vetting the callers? Are the Culver’s trained in the use of air rifles?
A more likely scenario and question is what happens if a culler is injured by a hazard on the property.
Enter at your own risk
To Risky Business: Government grants the licence to cull, this does not make government liable. Government grants us Drivers Licence, if we go out and hurt or kill someone while driving does government require insurance for that or is that our responsibility?
Oh. So you are saying all cullers should have liability insurance or they cannot cull. Well that’s fine then. So long as someone is going to pay when someone, or even pets get injured by pellets.
I think you will find that Government via DEH has entered into a contract whereby there has been an offer, agreement and consideration in the form of reward for dead iguanas. Government has more involvement in this project beyond the passing of legislation.
Hmm, not the same is it. Because as a driver you’re not acting on behalf of the state. By entering into a contract with DOE, you are in effect their responsibility.
How are they intending enforcing their culling rules, who is watching them?
It’s going to be like living next to beehives with all these air gun pellets zinging through the air.Try not to wear a green shirt.
deh idiots…why not think of the liabillity issues before you thought up this nonsense scheme
DOE, you mean, not DEH.
A total joke that will backfire.
Come by my yard!! Callers welcome
Hello, can I speak to bob?
Oh great just allow total strangers to roam your property with a weapon to kill … well done you silly people … so any hour of the night roaming your yard with light helping themselves to whatever they wish. Who the heck thought up such a stupid plan ? Typical of the Ministry involved
Admittedly the headline is misleading but did you bother to read the article?
I was just about to ask the twit the same thing….ah well.
Is this the section of the article you’re referring to? “The cull registration cards carried by green iguana cullers do not give cardholders permission to enter anyone’s private property, nor do they allow cullers to carry firearms. Permission to enter private property must be given by the property owner and permission to use an air rifle during the cull is done through the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service licensing process.”
If so, this does not provide reassurance that a “licensed” culler with a license to carry an air rifle will not enter my property – day/night without permission.
Will the list of cullers be published? I don’t have the time or skills to be a culler, but if I should run one over with my car it would be nice to get $3 for it. After all, they then only have to take it in to get $5!
Only $3 for running over a culler? More like 10 years in prison!
That’s what I thought too when I first read that but I think he means running over an iguana, not a culler – at least I hope!
It’s a community service, have you seen some of these idiots they’re allowing to be cullers?
Help the environment and earn honest side-money, you’re an idiot.
Go out and get more than the limit of conchs or lobsters for illegal side-money, you’re an idiot.
See how backwards you think? Give them a break.
Get an education, get a real job, then you don’t have to be a culler or a poacher.
You see how backwards your reasoning is now bobo?
If you run a culler over with your car, you’ll have to bargain with the iguanas on what they are paying. If they are outbidding the DoE, then the iguanas might win.