In South Florida, green iguanas spread into suburban scourge

[HAB911]

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Perched in trees and scampering down sidewalks, green iguanas have become so common across South Florida that many see them not as exotic invaders, but as reptilian squirrels.

Native to Central and South America, green iguanas that escaped or were dumped as pets have been breeding in the Miami suburbs and the Keys for at least a decade without making headlines like other voracious invasive reptiles such as Burmese pythons or black-and-white tegu lizards.

They've been considered mostly harmless because they eat plants instead of native animals. But their burrows undermine seawalls, sidewalks and levees, and they eat their way through valuable landscaping as well as native plants. Their droppings can be a significant cleanup problem, as well as a potential source of salmonella bacteria, which causes food poisoning.

Compared with elusive pythons in the Everglades, iguanas are easy to spot. They can grow to more than 5 feet long, and they like what draws people to Florida: nice landscaping, waterfront views, swimming pools and sunbathing.

https://apnews.com/832c029d7a754de1a5543a7aefcb0331/In-South-Florida,-green-iguanas-spread-into-suburban-scourge

[DinahMoeHum]

1. What say you; shall we dump these lizards onto Mar-A-Lago???

[HAB911]

2. in my backyard

I have our native:


and invasive Cubans:

and always wanted some of those big boys, but after reading that article, maybe not!

Let Lizard Don have them!

[DinahMoeHum]

3. "native" meaning geckos??

I was in Key West one time and I had one of them in my B&B room. Always regarded a gecko as a good-luck charm who also ate skeeters.

[HAB911]

4. Anole

http://www.wildflorida.com/florida_lizards.php

In addition to skinks:


and these guys: https://www.democraticunderground.com/103657531