Is it legal to shoot invasive iguanas in Palm Beach County, Florida? Here’s what to know

Florida is location to thousands of unsocial creatures — whether they were invited oregon not.

According to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the authorities is plagued by more than 500 non-native works and carnal species, particularly iguanas.

Green iguanas have been taking implicit South Florida since the 1960s. These ample greenish lizards originated successful Central America and are recovered successful the tropical parts of South America and immoderate eastbound Caribbean islands.

They are known to origin harm to residential and commercialized scenery vegetation and are often considered a nuisance by spot owners. What tin Floridians bash astir this nuisance successful their community?

Here’s what you request to cognize astir hunting and eating iguanas in Florida.

Is shooting Florida iguanas ineligible successful Palm Beach County?

Yes. Iguanas are an invasive taxon successful Florida, meaning they’re not autochthonal to the state, and are lone protected by anti-cruelty laws.

They tin beryllium humanely killed connected backstage spot year-round with landowner permission, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

It’s ineligible to devour iguanas but it’s amerciable to import iguanas oregon iguana meat.

Do I request a licence to sprout iguanas successful Florida?

There are 32 FWC-managed nationalist lands successful southbound Florida where you don’t request a hunting licence to termination iguanas, since they’re highly invasive to that information of the state. The nationalist lands wherever you tin termination arsenic galore iguanas arsenic you’d similar are the aforesaid areas wherever residents and hunters are encouraged to termination immoderate pythons they see.

“If you are not susceptible of safely removing iguanas from your property, delight question assistance from a nonrecreational nuisance wildlife trapper,” the FWC’s website says. “A licence is required to person unrecorded captured greenish iguanas for eradication and power purposes.”

If you privation to hunt iguanas for their nutrient oregon to conscionable assistance retired with controlling their beingness successful South Florida but don’t cognize wherever to go, you tin publication a guided iguana hunt.

What are the rules for sidesplitting iguanas successful Florida?

There are lone 2 rules to see erstwhile hunting oregon sidesplitting iguanas:

1. You indispensable either person support from the proprietor of the spot wherever you recovered the iguana oregon beryllium connected 1 of the 32 FWC-managed nationalist lands wherever eliminating iguanas is encouraged.

2. You indispensable termination the iguana oregon iguanas humanely.

Here’s the FWC’s requirements for what makes a humane kill

Regardless of the method you use, you indispensable guarantee the pursuing 2 steps are completed to humanely termination a reptile:

• Step 1: Your method should effect successful the carnal losing consciousness immediately.

What bash you bash with a dormant iguana?

If you've gone retired and killed an iguana without intent to devour it, don't flip the assemblage successful a roadworthy oregon waterway. You could beryllium charged with a littering fine.

Tossing a dormant iguana successful the trash could besides outgo you, depending connected wherever you live. Some cities' discarded absorption systems let you to propulsion it successful the trash if it is double-bagged, portion others necessitate residents to prosecute a backstage pickup work to get escaped of the dormant animal.

Check what the rules are for your metropolis earlier you flip the ample dormant lizard.

Can you devour the iguanas successful Florida?

Yes! The iguana has been eaten successful different countries for centuries.

"People person been eating iguanas since at slightest 10,000 years ago, erstwhile humans reached the New World tropics. It was a readily available, not-too-dangerous nutrient source. It's ever been portion of the diet," William Kern, a prof astatine the University of Florida, told USA TODAY backmost successful 2020.

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Its meat is precocious successful macromolecule and debased successful fat. It's well-suited for tacos, burritos, curries, soups, stews, gumbo and more, according to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“The solution? Iguana stew,” the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wrote connected its list. “Their nutrient is often called ‘chicken of the trees’ for its mild flavor.”

The FWC allows for the humane sidesplitting and depletion of iguanas successful Florida, as they are considered an invasive species.

This nonfiction primitively appeared connected Palm Beach Post: Florida iguanas: Killing invasive lizards successful Palm Beach County