Green Iguanas Are Invading Parts of Florida and Causing Problems for Property Owners

Over the past few years, the green iguana population in Florida has exploded, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has declared open season on the species.

Green iguanas are not native to Florida and not protected in Florida, except by anti-cruelty law. Homeowners do not need a permit to kill iguanas on their own property. And the FWC is now actively encouraging Florida homeowners to humanely kill green iguanas on their own property whenever possible.

Green Iguanas Are More Than Just a Nuisance, They Can Cause Significant Property Damage

Previously green iguanas were considered more of a nuisance by property owners than anything else, usually limiting their damage to residential and commercial landscape vegetation. But as their numbers grew, with more and more green iguanas invading an area, they also began to inflict more and more damage on Florida property. They are digging burrows that cause damage to infrastructure, which can lead to the erosion and collapse of sidewalks, foundations, seawalls, porches, decks, and even swimming pools.

How to Deter Green Iguanas From Damaging Your Property

If you start seeing signs of green iguanas on your property, such as damage to vegetation or iguana droppings, you may want to consider taking action to deter them from frequenting your area. The FWC recommends “modifying the habitat around your home or humanly harassing the animal.” Effective examples of this can be found in the FWC presentation, Iguana Technical Assistance for Homeowners.

What to Do If Your Property Has Already Been Invaded by Green Iguanas

Green iguanas can be killed year-round on private property without a permit. And the FWC encourages homeowners to kill green iguanas on their own property whenever possible. Just be careful, and aware of your surroundings when hunting green iguanas.

If humanely hunting and killing green iguanas yourself isn’t your thing, there are local companies you can hire to come out to your property and do the job for you. Another option would be to trap the iguanas on your property yourself and obtain euthanasia services from a local exotic animal veternarian, humane society or animal control office. The availability of these services vary by location.

Please note that it is illegal to relocate green iguanas. You can not capture them and relocate them to other locations in Florida.

Protecting and Repairing Property Damaged by Green Iguanas

If green iguanas have been sited on your property, or you see holes in the ground where they may have burrowed, you will want to protect yourself and your property from further damage. Filling in the holes you see is often not enough, especially if you find them near infrastructure elements, such as sidewalks, docks, decks, swimming pools, retaining walls, seawalls, embankments, etc.

And since a lot of the damage they can inflict on your property may be underground, you should consider hiring a certified general contractor, such as the expert contractors at Gibson Marine Construction, to inspect and repair any damage to your property’s infrastructure. Taking precautionary steps now can help prevent further damage, and more extensive and expensive repairs in the future.

Gibson Marine Construction Can Help Fix Infrastructure Damage

Call Gibson Marine Construction today to learn how they can help you by inspecting and repairing infrastructure damage caused by Florida’s invasive green iguana population.