Green Iguanas are Growing Pests on Marco

If you think you are seeing more green iguanas in your yard you are not alone. Just this morning while having my morning coffee, a beautiful green iguana sauntered by on its way to nibble on the leaves of the Hong Kong Orchid Tree. At first it was a cool experience to see a mini dragon lazily cruising through the landscape.

The young ones are mostly bright green but I have seen one in shades of orange and even black. Iguanas are herbivores and prefer leafy green plants, flowers and even ripe fruits. I reached out to a local wildlife trapper, Joe Ingwersen, of Humble Bumble Backyard Garden and Wildlife for advice on how to discourage iguanas from the landscape.

Joe said, a good start is to walk around your yard and make a list of plants that iguanas love to nibble on: bougainvillea, Hong Kong orchid trees, coco plums, orchids, hibiscus, pentas, impatiens, coleus, vegetable greens, even the nuts from some palm trees. I often see a group sunning on a neighbor’s Royal Poinciana during my walks. But they don’t seem to bother the plumeria.

Another tip from Joe is to declutter your yard from overgrown bushes or trees as they attract iguanas and fill in any holes on your property. According to the FWC website, iguanas are a big problem in Florida as they love making holes which they turn into nests. They can cause damage to infrastructure by digging burrows next to sea walls, foundations, and sidewalks.

I have observed iguanas hanging out in large groups on trellises and arbors and on rooftops close to the water. They are excellent swimmers and there was a recent report in Florida of an iguana slithering through the sewer pipes and into someone’s toilet.

Green iguanas are also considered harmful to the local ecosystem. With the unique presence of burrowing owls and gopher tortoises in Marco, iguanas have been observed entering the burrows and poaching eggs. We’ve had sightings in our backyard of an iguana hanging from a bobcat’s mouth but according to Joe, as they get bigger, they don’t seem to have any real predators to help control the exploding population.

What do you call a group of iguanas? A mess! Sounds appropriate – when iguanas congregate in groups, they usually leave a mess!

Green iguanas are also carriers of salmonella and according to FWC, can transmit the infectious bacterium Salmonella to humans through contact with water or surfaces contaminated by their feces. They leave their droppings everywhere they visit – on pool decks, seawalls and patios.

Many homeowners are not comfortable with trapping iguanas and humanely euthanizing them, according to Joe. And handling them could result in getting scratched or bitten and there is the added risk of exposure to salmonella. Best to call an expert trapper who can also identify food sources, pathways, damages and possible burrows, which is part of the removal process.

Unfortunately, green iguanas are here to stay! We all came to South Florida for the warm weather, diverse wildlife and exotic flora. Green iguanas love the hot, humid and lush landscape where they thrive in great numbers.

According to Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), green iguanas are not native to Florida and are considered invasive due to their impacts to native wildlife. Like all non-native reptile species, green iguanas are NOT protected in Florida except by anti-cruelty laws and can be killed humanely on private properties with landowner’s permission.

Something to consider: Iguana meat has been considered a “staple” delicacy in some Caribbean and South American cuisines and it may be catching on in some South Florida communities. Referred to as “chicken of the trees” the meat is supposed to taste like chicken. If you are a believer in the “eat what you harvest” and know how to safely catch and prepare an iguana, this might be worth trying.

Iguana trapping can be costly but the City of Marco Island has an Iguana Removal Program. If interested go online and check the requirements.