Iguana cull secures budget for 2020
(CNS): Having already killed well over one million invasive green iguanas, local cullers will be able to continue their important work in 2020 to keep the population down after financing was secured for the cull to continue in 2020. By the end of December, hunters had killed 1,123,526 iguanas, but the prolific breeding ability of the pesky reptile means that there are still hundreds of thousands of them still out there. Therefore, the $5 bounty continues.
However, as the New Year begins, the management company running the cull, which is based at the landfill in George Town, is asking all cullers to re-register to ensure that everyone is properly licensed.
“Any green iguanas brought in after 31 January 2020 by cullers with expired registration cards would not be accepted,” said Karl Noble, director of Cornwall Consulting, the company that manages the cull for the Department of Environment.
Registration renewals will begin Tuesday, 6 January, at the landfill counting station and continues until the end of the month. Cullers who wish to continue with the work are asked to bring proof of Caymanian status and a valid government-issued photo ID, as well as a valid firearms licence if they are using an air rifle.
Firearms licensing renewals or permits must be obtained from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.
Registered cullers must be at least 18 years old and possess either Caymanian status or a valid trade and business licence. All registered cullers must also agree to terms set out in their contracts with the cull management company. These include the ability to correctly tell the difference between green and blue iguanas, agreeing never to trespass on private property and to treat animals humanely. Cull companies must also agree to manage team members and/or acquire green iguanas in a responsible manner, consistent with local laws and regulations.
“The green iguana cullers did a fantastic job in 2018/19, eliminating more than 1.1 million of these invasive creatures, but there is still more work to do,” said Environment Minister Dwayne Seymour. “Cabinet has agreed to fund this project going into 2020 to ensure we don’t let the situation get out of hand again.”
For more information contact Cornwall Consulting on 949-1544 or 769-8888, or email info@cornwall.ky.
To learn more about the cull project email DoE@gov.ky or call 949-8469.
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Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
THE CHICKENS DO FAR MORE DAMAGE!
Please cull these garbage digging, worm and lice infested pests that destroy gardens, lawns and car paint by defecating from trees and scratching.
Not to mention the constant and aggravating noise pollution 24x7x365!
12:10 Lets Leave it to our biologists to the make the decisions please. Iguanas do considerably more damage to Cayman’s wildlife and plants than chickens will ever do. Sure chickens are pests to people’s daily lives but iguanas pose much more of a threat to our biodiversity. Iguanas scare nesting birds, eat young plant shoots and flowers before bees can pollinate them. They also are a danger to our native iguanas. They act as vectors for disease ( like the Helicobacter bacteria which can be fatal to blues) an they risk inbreeding with our local species which would drive the local blues and rock iguana to extinction. Plus they have the disgusting habit of defecating in pools or on sides of docks. Trust me the iguanas are the real problem. Chickens are a nuisance but just buy a good set of ear plugs.
The stench from rotting iguanas has reached SMB condos. Keep adding more, please, visitors are
.
Visitors are delighted.
I am astonished at the support for these feral chickens, are we a third world chicken country?. I jog every day in George Town and see these scavengers ripping open garbage bags and spreading garbage everywhere.They roam throughout central George Town to the bewilderment of our civilized cruise visitors. The roosters perch in our garden trees and make an infernal racket throughout the night. I do not see any positives in these pests, they need to be culled like the iguanas.
The main people who want the local chickens culled are expats who aren’t used to them, be real.
Since we’re going off of anecdotes, some tourists have told me it actually complements our laid back island vibe to chill next to a chicken.
The iguanas used to eat the eggs. Now they’re gone there are a lot more chickens
11:47 Iguanas can be omnivorous but they don’t tend to go for chicken eggs. They are predominately herbivorous so plants are on their menu. Rats would be the biggest consumers of chicken eggs but we don’t really want many of them around.
Cool. So onto another big story, going on two weeks with no garbage collection. The fly population is out of control.
Yes. However, your complaint is with the DEH.
This story is about the DOE and the green iguana cull.
I think the poster wants to keep bring attention to the problem. Don’t think they cared about the department
While it’s sad to kill animals and not use their meat or skin for goods it’s nice not to see them dead in the road everywhere.
audit please.
Yes! We need to audit these #’s because something clearly doesn’t add up.
its more than the numbers…(which do not make sense)
whats happening to the bodies?
were they killed humanely?
What about invasive politicians?
Sadly, they are — by legal definition — all indigenous.
When do we cull the wild roosters?
When do we cull the wild roosters??
Chickens cull creepy crawlers so that you can sit on your lawn without getting bit up.
In terms of droppings, chickens are not the only animal with access to your lawn that can poop. See the thousands of other species that fly over on a daily basis.
You are welcome to the fleas, etc. that they leave in your lawn. This has nothing to do with poop. Wild chickens are a nuisance.
Arnolds will do the same job for you, without the racket, the ground disturbance, the noise, etc.
And chickens in general. They are also now an invasive pest.
9:52 and 8:57 chickens are pests but they do not create a large environmental impact. Governments environmental protection budget fund is limited so it it put towards culling species that create a large environmental impact like the green iguanas. It is not practical or cost effective to start a chicken cull.
Without the roosters the number of wild fowls will decline steadily.
Its the feral cats that are the real issue
*dogs
Now only if we could do that for all invasive species.
Well done cullers and DOE. We must keep pushing back against this invasive species for the good of everyone and indigenous species on these islands. Keep up the good work.