The Council of Agriculture (COA) on Wednesday raised alarm over a dramatic increase in the invasive green iguana population, as the number of the animals captured in the wild has grown more than 27-fold over the past five years.
The import and sale of the reptile, also known as the American iguana, was legalized in 2001, and they soon became popular as pets.
However, many green iguanas were likely released into the wild by their owners as they grew to their full size of up to 1.5m.
Photo: Lin Yi-chang, Taipei Times
In the absence of natural predators, their numbers have multiplied, destroying crops and threatening native ecosystems.
The number of iguanas captured in the wild has grown exponentially over the past five years, starting from 527 in 2016, Forestry Bureau Conservation Division Director Lo Yu-chuan (羅尤娟) said.
In 2016, 527 of the reptiles were captured, followed by 2,365 in 2017, 3,657 in 2018, 8,068 last year and 14,536 so far this year, she said.
They have been found in Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung and Taitung counties, with the largest populations in Kaohsiung and Pingtung, Lo added.
Green iguanas spread quickly, as they lay 40 to 70 eggs at a time, Lo said, adding that the reptiles mostly live on river banks, ponds or irrigation ditches, where they dig holes for their eggs.
As the iguanas eat young buds and leaves, they pose a danger to crops and native species that feed on similar plants, she said.
The bureau has rejected all applications for imports of green iguanas since June 2015 and assisted local governments in eradication efforts, Lo said.
In September, green iguanas were labeled “exotic wildlife dangerous to the environment, people or animals,” and owners were required to register their pets.
The bureau said that 653 of the reptiles were registered by the Nov. 30 deadline.
Apart from green iguanas bred with permission for educational and research purposes, those caught breeding the reptiles are fined NT$10,000 to NT$50,000, the bureau added.
Native to Central and South America, the green iguana is considered an invasive species in 15 countries or regions.
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