Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be in Miami-Dade County to kick off the 2021 Python Challenge on Thursday. The event began as a way for hunters to help control.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Miami-Dade County to kick off the 2021 Python Challenge on Thursday. DeSantis held a news conference to begin registration for.
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Because iguanas and Argentine black and white tegus are not native animals to Florida s wildlife, their release and population in the wild are a threat to Florida s ecosystem.
In fact, Florida is home to 500 nonnative species that, if not adequately watched, are harmful to the existing environment. Take, for instance, one of the worst offenders: Burmese pythons. These snakes, part of the 16 high-risk invasive species populated in areas like the Everglades national park in Miami-Dade, prey on deer, rodents and alligators, The Guardian reported.
In the case of the Argentine black and white tegu, the microchip is meant for their protection. Since 2012, nearly 8,000 tegus have been killed by hunters or removed by FWC staffers.
Now another bizarre date has been added to the list: tag your reptile day.
Owners of tegus, a non-native species of giant central and south American lizard, and green iguanas, another prolific invader, must get their reptiles microchipped like any conventional pet.
Seeking compliance with a regulation passed in February to protect against invasive species and which came into effect this weekend, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) has established tag day, actually a series of dates in the coming weeks at venues around the state.
“Just as with cats and dogs, microchipping your green iguana or tegu is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep them safe while also protecting Florida’s native wildlife,” said Kristen Sommers, FWC head of wildlife impacts management.
burmese pythons in floridaeartherelise bennettenvironmentevergladesgreen iguanagreen iguana in captivityiguanidaekristen sommersmicrochip implantpetsreptile
An iguana in Miami, Florida. (Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images)
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Florida is banning the practice of keeping invasive reptiles like iguanas and tegus as pets, but those who already own one of these scaly guys need not worry too much. The pets can be grandfathered in if you get them tagged with a microchip. This may sound like a mishmash of Alex Jones conspiracy theories, but it’s the real deal in an attempt to get invasive species under control. State officials are trying to make it easy to do so, too.