I support the idea of banning the sale of iguanas and tegus in Florida because they have become an invasive species. I support the banning of any invasive species.
You do know that by banning them you are only going to make the problem worse? It's not going to help what's going on in the wild with the wild populations.
Here is some information from USARK:
SB906 consequences:
1. This bill will encourage the release of non-native reptiles.
2. This bill does nothing to remedy the current problems caused by these animals in the wild.
3. Banning these species encourages a black market and underground, illegal activities.
4. Florida business owners have millions of dollars invested in these species.
5. The overreaching negative impacts upon these businesses must be considered as a termination of their future sales is a taking and they must be reimbursed, which means there must be an economic impact study and restitution.
6. Protection of Florida's native wildlife is of utmost importance but this bill is a backward approach to addressing the issues.
7. FWC has reported a preposterous and superfluous cost of $1,000 per tegu for removal purposes. Currently, independent trappers are catching and removing tegus and iguanas at no cost to the State. This current state revenue saving activity would be banned and the cost of future eradication efforts would sky-rocket. Florida legislators need to learn the full story to avoid ineptly spending tax money and FWC resources on this issue when no-costs options are currently in play.
8. Additionally, Florida stakeholders have developed a plan in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide an expansive tegu and iguana removal program (at no cost to the State) but the Florida Wildlife Commission has failed to implement this proposal and we are instead facing this unjust recourse.
9. This is a grand example of collective punishment in which good and responsible citizens are punished due to the actions of a few bad actors. Rather than actually finding and punishing criminals, a bad law is written which does nothing more than allow legislative grandstanding while creating bigger problems.
Some points of clarification from misinformation provided:
1. There is NO evidence that Tegus have taken eggs from sea turtle nests.
2. A public health risk has been sensationalized. After being in our landscape for many decades we have yet to see evidence to support there is an actual public health risk from iguana feces on the ground as no salmonella cases have been recorded.
https://www.usarkfl.org/post/2020ban
There are better ways of going about this than an outright ban. Do you own a cat?
In the spirit of disclosure, I own a tegu. Her name is Blue and I would never dump her into the wild.