Cullers bag over 850,000 greens

| 21/08/2019 | 52 Comments
Cayman News Service
Cullers in Red Bay with a green iguana shot out of a tree

(CNS): The nationwide cull aimed at making a very serious dent in the invasive green iguana population has seen more than 850,000 carcasses taken to the dump since the project began some ten months ago. Despite a surge in cull numbers through May and June, with around 222,000 iguanas killed over those two months, wet weather and vacation time seems to have take a toll on the cull over the last two months.

In July cullers bagged just over 39,000 of the pesky reptiles, the lowest headcount since the cull began, and there has been a continuing decline in August, with just 22,000 carcasses taken to the dump so far this month.

When the cull began, researchers at the Department of Environment estimated that there were around 1.3 million green iguanas. The current annual count is now underway at 158 locations, where the number of iguanas and their age will be recorded. The information will then be analysed to estimate population density and total population size.

While cullers have succeeded in cutting the original numbers in half, the question now is how much the population has been able to bounce back during this year’s breeding season. The cull has certainly reduced the visibility of the greens, which is making the job harder for hunters, who now have to forage a little further to get the $5 bounty.

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Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature

Comments (52)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    We just spent 4 million dollars of community money to kill iguanas? What about exportation of the meat or the hides for other uses.
    No we just throw them in the dump like how we throw everything else to poison every human and species that lives on and around this island.

    The damage the animals have been more then the cost to do this? Spend this money to kill iguanas, farmers don’t make that much.

    Kill the green, save the blue, kill the chickens, save the marine life but kill the lion fish.

    A society of killers at least complete disregard for any other life other then there fellow humans if they still at least have respect for other humans may be at best wishful thinking.

    Beating iguanas with a long stick is how we gonna do this?

    Compassion…where is it?

  2. Anonymous says:

    What is the bounty for a Blue?

    CNS:
    Even though this is probably meant as a joke, it’s worth emphasising that it is still illegal to kill a blue iguana.

    • Anonymous says:

      Indeed CNS. I enjoy the beautiful blues and appreciate the hard work you guys put in getting the word out! Keep at it!

  3. Say it like it is says:

    Can Government now turn it’s attention to our large population of feral chickens.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Totally agree. They crap everywhere, and once they pick a location they never leave.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The cats are a bigger problem

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    • BeaumontZodecloun says:

      That is a problem that everyone who is affected by them should consider handling themselves. I have set up a chicken trap. I did this because the chickens were eating everything I chose to grow. I will never solve my area’s chicken problem, but I can kill and eat them and pare their numbers down.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Thanks to all the cullers! Please please keep this program going indefinitely!!!!!!

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  5. BeaumontZodecloun says:

    Keep up the good work cullers. This is incredibly important for the native Blue and Sister Islands Rock iguanas, as well as native birds, and crops that we all grow. The greens are terribly detrimental to the environment, and — coupled with their rapid reproduction — is probably going to make this an ongoing process for some time.

    Thanks also to DOE and the Sister Islands culling teams for their work. Well done everyone.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Thank you cullers for helping control this situation!! I’m delighted to have trees flourishing in my garden again and no iguana mess in the pool. Sincerely appreciate the efforts.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    there are around 10 biggies down cook quay

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  8. Anonymous says:

    are the iguanas being killed humanely?
    how are the carcasses being disposed of?

    too many questions and not enough answers.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    what does killing 1,000’s of iguanas everyday do for your mentality?
    seen some scumbags on smb catch them from trees then smash their heads on the sidewalk to kill them…all in front of tourists.

    caymankind i suppose.

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  10. Say it like it is says:

    850,000 dead iguanas must create an awful smell, exactly what was done with them at the dump?.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Who is counting these Greens and better yet, who is auditing the totals?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Change the record, man. Seriously.

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      • Anonymous says:

        not really….to think someone has head counted 850k dead iguanas is a big bad joke.
        however the cull seems to have a real impact on their numbers….just don’t lie about the process.

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        • Anonymous says:

          I guess its impossible to count to 850k…

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        • Iggy-get-ur-gun says:

          Instead of chatting shit about what you don’t know, why not get off your posterior and go see for yourself? Everything about the receiving process is done in the open (literally) for everyone to observe. If you doubt the numbers, we invite you to hop into the dumpster and count the carcasses yourself … heck stay and play with them a while … it might improve the ‘air’ around you.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Amen

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    • Anonymous says:

      If they are paying $5 for each iguana killed, I would imagine the financial records would leave an audit trail – rather than someone standing there and counting the actual iguanas.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Seen two little ones around the holiday in pool the other day

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