Thailand has banned the importation of iguanas because they’ve been imported as pets and then released into the wild where they have procreated and become pests to farmers. This is a non-native species which has become problematic and the government has seen fit to ban them from the country.
They describe the importation and release in to the country as an ‘invasion’ ruining agricultural produce and spreading disease.
They can grow to 5 feet long and they are not indigenous to Asia. It’s a classic example of non-native species becoming pests. The Australian know a lot about that with the feral cat, rabbits and foxes – just three examples.
The Thai government has amended the Wild Animal Conservation and Protection Act to make it illegal to introduce iguanas into Thailand. Violations of this law can result in a six months jail term and a fine of 50,000 baht (£1130).
A plague of iguanas has been reported by Thailand’s parks department in the Phatthana Nikhom district of Lopburi province which is north of Bangkok.
They’ve captured 130 of the animals in that area together with 30 more in other parts of the country.
A spokesperson for the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said: “Many iguanas have been living in the wild in Lopburi province and destroying farmers’ agricultural produce. Their rapidly increasing number has affected the environment and ecology systems.”
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People should not touch them or come into contact with their faeces because they may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria.
A government spokesman added: “Rampant proliferation could lead to various damages to local communities… The government has announced a series of measures to control the expansion and…. banned the importation of any variety of these animals.”
The Times reports that farmers cultivating cassava are particularly badly affected. This is a starchy root that is a staple for many poorer Thais.
The ban is likely to encourage people to hunt iguanas but they should be careful because scientists have warned that they are similar to the Chinese water dragon in appearance, a vulnerable species.
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