Saving An Iguana Four Miles Offshore

[sl8]

Saving An Iguana Four Miles Offshore

Key West Kayak Fishing

Published on Oct 18, 2017

I was coming in from an offshore trip and I noticed a weird shaped object floating in the distance. All I could see were the multiple fins running down its back so I though it was some sort of palm frond, but it just didn't look right. I ended up stopping and noticed that it started swimming. It was pretty crazy seeing this guy so far out. I have seen plenty swimming around the islands, but never one that far out. Most likely, because of the King tides that are occurring it got caught in one of the swift outgoing tides and got pushed out to sea. I was just inside the reef so it was close to four miles from land. Most likely it would have died out there as the current that far out would most likely push it East with very little chance of coming back inshore. But you never know and it could be it's normal daily swim back and forth between Cuba and the US. Regardless, it was pretty cool see it trust me enough (versus dying of course) to swim toward the kayak and hop on. And then for it to just cruise along in the open water and then just as it saw the safety of the mangroves close by, it took a leap and swam to shore. Pretty cool.

[...]

[jberryhill]

1. "Saving" an invasive species. Guy is a moron.

smh

https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/green-iguana/

Green iguanas (Iguana iguana) are an invasive species in Florida and are not native to our state. They can cause considerable damage to infrastructure, including seawalls and sidewalks. This species is not protected in Florida except by anti-cruelty law.

Re-releasing a captured green iguana into the wild is illegal in FL.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in528

It is illegal to release iguanas in Florida (39–4.005 Florida Administrative Code). Iguanas are not native to Florida and so are not protected in Florida, except by anticruelty laws. Green iguanas are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species II because of their economic importance and over-harvest for the international pet trade in their native range. In Florida, all captured iguanas must be kept in captivity as pets or captive breeding stock, or must be destroyed. Feral adult iguanas rarely make acceptable pets. They never tame sufficiently and are dangerous.

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FL Administrative Code 68A-4.005

68A-4.005 Introduction of Foreign Wildlife or Freshwater Fish or Carriers of Disease.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess, transport or otherwise bring into the state or to release or introduce in the state any wildlife or freshwater fish that is not native to the state unless such person shall first secure a permit from the Commission.

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The level of casual stupidity in our culture is staggering sometimes.

I suppose next this dumbass will start a kudzu garden.

[sl8]

2. Good point.

I hadn't thought of that.

From https://keysnews.com/article/story/state-urges-homeowners-to-kill-iguanas/

State urges homeowners to kill iguanas

By Kevin Wadlow Free Press Staff
July 10, 2019

FLORIDA KEYS — Iguanas have joined lionfish and pythons as a public enemy to be eradicated from the Florida Keys.

The large reptiles native to South America now are classified by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as an invasive species that poses an environmental and health menace.

The FWC “encourages homeowners to kill green iguanas on their own property whenever possible. Iguanas can be killed year-round and without a permit,” the agency says in a fact sheet.


A juvenile iguana sits on a fence in the Upper Keys. State wildlife officials are advising homeowners to eradicate the reptile.

Green iguanas are not native to Florida and are considered to be an invasive species due to the damage they can cause to seawalls, sidewalks and landscape plants, FWC says.

[...]

[jberryhill]

3. Neither did he, apparently

[lillypaddle]

4. I, for one, am glad he saved it from drowning

[mnhtnbb]

8. On Monday I will be returning to Bonaire, where I get to observe

a colony of green iguanas right outside my room.

In December I took this photo of the Three Kings.



Shakespeare had it right: "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers" Henry VI, Part 2, Act IV, Scene 2

[jberryhill]

9. This is the situation in Cayman

The green iguana population was heading toward 1.5M on Grand Cayman, and squeezing out the endangered native blue iguanas, which are going extinct.

That is 1.5M animals on an island about 35 by 7 miles, and with around 60,000 people.

https://caymannewsservice.com/2019/01/keep-iguana-cull-track/



The Department of Environment is making another call for more registered green iguana cullers, as the number of the invasive species being killed has begun to decline. The current group of cullers has managed to remove around 350,000 iguanas during the island-wide effort to massively diminish the population and reduce the negative impact they are having on Cayman’s unique natural habitats. And while that is an impressive number, given the starting point of around 1.5 million iguanas, the DoE was hoping that even more would have been removed at this point because breeding season is just around the corner.

[lillypaddle]

11. Wow, they are 3 kings

indeed.

I just didn't stomach an animal (ANY animal)) being left to drown in the sea if it could be saved.

[abqtommy]

5. Inter-species interaction/cooperation gives me more pleasure/hope than calls for eradication. I'm

glad Mr. Iguana Rescuer showed a level of humanity that recognizes the right of every creature and plant to exist. That gives me hope for all of us.

[jberryhill]

6. Syphilis has a right to exist too

Invasive species threaten the existence of native ones.

So what gives you hope is that endangered species occupying their ecological niches in Florida should cease to exist due to competition pressure from green iguanas.

[mnhtnbb]

7. What gives me hope is that humans will stop multiplying because they are endangering

the earth and the existence of many endangered species.

Especially Republicans. Damn. They are the worst invasive species of all time.

[abqtommy]

10. Let's see who's smarter with the ocean level rise, iguanas or humans. Who do you think will

move to higher ground first? HaHa But syphilis does exist, so I hear. As I recall my history there was a time when white folk were the invasive species in the Americas and before that in middle Asia.
What do you suggest we do with that knowledge?

Come on, I've been out shopping but now I'm back and I can do this all day. to Larry The
Cable Guy...