Posted on May 9 at 1:20 p.m.

The Iguana problem is a serious issue! The root of the problem begins with irresponsible owners who think these are great pets for their kids, and when they grow up to several feet in length, dump them in the backyard. The State of Florida is beginning to require that exotic pet dealers input microchips into these creatures, so they can be traced back to the owners if illegally dumped into the wild. That is a nice idea, but they should ideally ban the sale of these types of exotics as "pets" period. These non-native creatures are a major nuisance, and multiply at alarming rates. They eat the native species and have harmful bacteria in their droppings. These dropping can make people, pets, and others very sick. The City needs to do an eradication program now, when there are only a few thousand of them on the island. If not kept in check, they will explode to hundreds of thousands and will cost millions of dollars to deal with them later, just ask the residents Boca Grande and other barrier island of Southwest Florida.

On Iguanas gone wild: Exotic pets becoming Marco pests