‘They must be destroyed’: tackling Florida’s iguana invasion head-on
Shooting bolts through their brains or slamming their skulls against brick walls, researchers are trying to find the most humane way of killing the creatures
Researchers are on a critical mission in the heart of Broward County – bashing in the brains of iguanas in an attempt to eliminate the reptiles that have overtaken South Florida.
A 15-member team from the University of Florida is using a tool called a captive bolt gun that sends a bolt into the brain, similar to what is used in the livestock industry. They are also smashing the creatures’ heads against solid objects, including a truck and boat they are using to track them down.
“Most of what we’re doing is blunt force trauma,” said Jenny Ketterlin, a wildlife biologist and research coordinator with the university. “Hitting their head very hard against a solid object.”
Destroying their brains quickly is the most humane way to kill them, she said. Decapitating the animals without anaesthesia would kill them but not be considered humane.
Their work is part of a US$63,000 research project, contracted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, designed to find the best way to remove iguanas and then offer tips to homeowners on how to purge the pests from their gardens.