Controversy over Florida researchers' approach to kill overpopulating iguanas

[BurfordTJustice]

Come on pansy asses, man up get a gun and shoot the bastards. Tax all those that own one for a pet to pay for the ammo.

Controversy over Florida researchers' approach to kill overpopulating iguanas

Researchers are taking a controversial approach as they try to rid Florida of invasive iguanas overtaking residents' yards by bashing in their brains.

A team from the University of Florida is using a captive bolt gun that sends a bolt into the brain, similar to what's used in the livestock industry. They're also smashing the creatures' heads against solid objects to cause blunt force trauma. They've killed 249 so far.

UF wildlife biologist Jenny Ketterlin told The Sun Sentinel it's the most humane way to kill them.

"Most of what we're doing is blunt force trauma," Ketterlin told the paper. "Hitting their head very hard against a solid object." The theory goes that by destroying their brains is the most painless option, hence humane.

Their work is part of a research project contracted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Officials say iguanas are an invasive species that feed on native plants and wildlife.

Veterinarian Dr. Susan Kelleher says the head-bashing method is cruel. She suggests sedating and then euthanizing them.

Gary Fishman, who lives in Boyton Beach, uses his pellet gun to kill iguanas that enter his landscape. "The iguana does not belong here," he told the paper. "They need to be annihilated. They can't be relocated. So they must be destroyed."

Fishman told the paper that bashing the iguanas' heads "sounds like torture." He opts for the pellet gun.

[angelicapaganelli]

If they're in a populated area, a bolt gun (or a rock) is the safest way.

You should see the controversy in Ann Arbor over culling the deer population. They're using sharpshooters where they can, and sterilizing does where the housing density is too high to safely shoot them. To my way of thinking, once you've captured the doe, just kill it.

At least they're donating the meat to the hungry.

The newspaper is filled with bleeding hearts saying "stop the cull".

Cindy Hamilton

[rbowman]

Helena uses net traps and bolt guns with the meat going to the food bank.

There are a lot more sensitive types in Missoula so the idea doesn't fly here. Also the deer are white tails and seldom cause problems compared to the mule deer in Helena, other than eating gardens. I've seen them standing by the side of the road calmly watching traffic and waiting for a break before crossing the road. There's no need to buy lawn ornaments in some parts of the city. One year around Christmas I walked by what I thought was an elaborate creche setup before I noticed the figurines were chewing their cuds.

[gfretwell]

The White Tail Deer is still the most dangerous animal in the US killing more people than bears, alligators, snakes and big cats combined. Most don't look both ways before they cross the road. I do wonder where the "if it saves one human life" people are here. BTW the last time I almost got killed by a deer it was in downtown DC on the Whitehurst freeway. I dodged one and the other one jumped over the side (20' to K street below). I thought about going down to see how she was doing but I did not have time to dress out a deer that night.

[Tekkie®]

[e-mail] posted for all of us...

A taxpayer wrote in to the local police wanting a deer crossing sign posted and lines on the street. My first first comment was that I didn't know deer could read.

[rbowman]

It's not clear from the video but the bridge is strictly for the animals. You can, and I have, climb through a fence and walk across it but there is nothing but woods on either side. I've never seen evidence that it is used much.

There are a number of culverts under the highway and those get more use. The bridge is on the rez so I assume there was some sort of tribal boondoggle in play.

[gfretwell]

The US taxpayers paid about $150 million to build Florida panther bridges, fences and other features on a 65 mile section of I-75 for an animal that does not actually exist. There is no actual difference between a "Florida Panther" and the cougars in Texas or those mountain lions that eat joggers in California. If there ever was a slight genetic difference it disappeared when they brought in a bunch of Texas cougars to bred with the native cats. The environmentalists say you can see some little differences in the shape of the ear and the curl of the tail but other scientists say that is just genetic damage from a century in inbreeding, hence the introduction of fresh genetic material. Unfortunately that legally eliminated the Florida Panther as a distinct species in the eyes of the law (the ESA)