Posted on 06/22/2018 1:11:41 PM PDT by Red Badger
South Floridas not quite Jurassic Park, but its getting close.
Packs of green iguanas are swarming seawalls, roaming yards and parks, and leaving a path of destruction and filth in their wake. Like a shot of espresso, the hot summer sun has stoked activity in the cold-blooded creatures, which experts say may be at record numbers.
This year is the most iguanas Ive seen and Ive been in business for nine years, says Thomas Portuallo, owner of Fort Lauderdale-based Iguana Control. He says the invasive lizards are out of control with many hundreds of thousands creeping around Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
The prehistoric populations are multiplying like rabbits, and causing internet, phone and power outages (barbecued lizard, anyone?), damaging landscapes, levees, seawalls, roofs and patios, and contaminating pools with poop.
Theres no real way to come up with a valid estimate of the number of green iguanas in Florida. But the number would be gigantic, says Richard Engeman, a biologist for the National Wildlife Research Center. You could put any number of zeros behind a number, and I would believe it.
And the critters have residents steamed up literally.
About 8 percent of power outages, or 9,200 a year, are caused by animals and birds, says Richard Beltran, a Florida Power and Light spokesman. In South Florida, iguanas are the second leading cause of power outages, behind squirrels. But thats well behind power failures caused by vegetation, Beltran points out. FPL uses raptor guards and bird diverters to cover 75,000 miles of power lines, switches and conductors at 600 substations, he says. If an animal touches two of the three power lines attached to a pole, that's when current zaps them, Beltran says.
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
No comprende. It’s a riddle.
Chicken of the trees....
They are not dangerous, just a nuisance. They eat people’s gardens and flowers.......
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/animals/iguana-control.htm
They are a lot nicer than other carbon forms down there.
South of our border, all the way to South America, iguanas are a delicacy.
Might be a good recipe for the "permanent homeless" cookbook...
Are they good for anything? Food? Leather boots?
They are highly prized as food in Central America.
Yes, much like chicken.
They taste pretty good. It is a pretty neutral tasting meat, so the sauce determines the taste.
All this is just so some pinheads in rented condos and flip-flops could try to "impress" their girlfriends with bad ass critters. Yeah, buddy your are super bad ass! Ooooooo!
I ate gator once and it was pretty good. It goes well with beer.
Do they taste like chicken?.................
I grow most of our food! Those b@stards would feel my wrath, LOL!
I hear they taste like chicken, though...
They’re probably a lot like the Canada Geese we have in DROVES up here. They leave SUCH a slippery mess of Shiite that it becomes dangerous in our parks and near our lakes. They’ll also attack you if they have young with them; I mean they ARE geese - who are BORN INSANE.
But, also, really, REALLY good to eat! ;)
Yes.
See post 25
Roasted iguana tail is a delicacy to many.
How do they taste with a nice mango salsa and Cuban rice?
In 1977 I lived in Ft. Lauderdale area. Some coworkers had an iguana. It cost a lot of money and escaped the first chance it had..................
Where is Florida Man when you need him?
Since they are vegetarians They are probably good to eat................
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