Taiwan to Kill Tens of Thousands of Iguanas to Protect Farmland

Taiwan plans to kill up to 120,000 green iguanas that are damaging the island’s agriculture industry.

Around 200,000 of the animals are believed to be in the island's southern and central areas. Both areas are heavily dependent on farming, said Chiu Kuo-hao of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency.

Special hunting teams killed about 70,000 iguanas last year, earning up to $15 for each kill. Local governments have asked the public to help identify iguana nests, or homes. Officials also advised people to use fishing spears to kill the iguanas in the most humane way.

Lee Chi-ya is with the agricultural department in the southern county of Pingtung. Lee said many people in Taiwan bought iguanas as pets, not understanding how big they get or how long they live.

“So, they set them free in the wild, where they’ve really taken to the Taiwanese environment,” Lee said. This permitted the animals to, in Lee’s words, “reproduce at a considerable rate, necessitating us to cull them and restore the balance of nature."

Green iguanas have no natural predators in Taiwan. The animals have moved into areas that can be difficult to enter, mostly forests and the edges of towns.

Males can grow to two meters long and weigh as much as five kilograms. Females are a little smaller and can lay up to 80 eggs at a time. The green iguana can live up to 20 years.

The animals are native mainly to Central America and the Caribbean. They have sharp spines on their body and sharp teeth as well. Their tails are powerful and can strike in attack or defensive actions. Experts say iguanas are not aggressive animals. Their diet is mainly plants, including fruits and leaves.

Hsu Wei-chieh is secretary general of the Reptile Conservation Association of Taiwan. He said the group wants to teach farmers how to stay safe, protect their property and treat the iguanas humanely.

“We're here to help see that this project is carried out smoothly,” said Hsu.

Tsai Po-wen, a vegetable farmer in Pingtung, said the training was valuable.

“We used to attack them, but it wasn't any use. Now we're learning more effective, safer methods,” Tsai said.

I’m Caty Weaver.

Taijing Wu reported this story for the Associated Press. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English.

spear – n. a long sharp cutting instrument used for hunting or as a weapon

cull – v. to kill animals as part of an effort to reduce their numbers

spine – n. sharp, needle-like structures on the skin or body covering of some animals and plants

predator – n. an animal that feeds on other animals to live

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