Taiwan’s Ongoing Battle Against the Growing Iguana Population

In Taiwan, bounty hunter Wu Cheng-hua, 25, is using a slingshot to help control the growing iguana population. These green lizards were brought to Taiwan from Central and South America over 20 years ago as pets. Many have escaped or been released, and now there are too many of them, harming gardens and crops.

Wu works with a team of hunters hired by the Pingtung County government. They can earn up to NT$500 for every iguana they catch. Some days they catch hundreds of iguanas, while other days, just a few. They often miss their targets, shooting at iguanas high in trees, trying to capture them with harpoon slingshots used for spearfishing.

Despite the hard work, experts say it’s almost impossible to rid Taiwan of these reptiles completely. The iguanas are also causing problems in other countries, including the United States. Estimates suggest there could be up to 200,000 iguanas in Taiwan. A female iguana can lay dozens of eggs each year, making their numbers keep rising.

Climate changes, like warmer winters and less rainy seasons, have helped iguana survival and reproduction, creating what experts call a “perfect storm” for their population to grow. Local farmers, like Cheng Hui-jung, struggle to protect their crops from these hungry lizards. Even with nets, it’s hard to catch them.

The local government is asking residents to help catch iguanas. Hsin Tseng-kuan, 58, says she was scared of iguanas at first but learned to catch them with training from the government. Many people are now learning how to deal with these creatures.

Animal rights group PETA has suggested that Taiwan should use non-lethal methods to control iguana numbers. Some hunters wish they could use air guns to make their hunting more effective and humane. After a long day of hunting, Wu and his team caught 14 iguanas, some still alive and in pain. They have to euthanize the iguanas and keep them frozen until the government can incinerate them.

Wu finds hunting tougher than his cooking job but enjoys helping farmers save their crops. “If we don’t help, everything they grow will be eaten,” he said.