Florida chips pet reptiles to control invasive species
The Guardian, MIAMI
From Key West’s high-summer Hemingway Days, in which bearded hopefuls vie for the title of best Papa lookalike, to the annual hunt for the elusive and imaginary skunk ape, Florida is renowned for its calendar of curiosities.
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 as with any conventional pet.
A green iguana basks in the sun in Key Biscayne, Florida, on Oct. 14, 2013.
Iguanas with chips: Florida seeks solution to invasive reptile problem msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Worried about how to track your tegu if it makes a jailbreak?
Florida wildlife officials will hold a Tag Your Reptile Day at Brevard Zoo June 5. You can bring your pet green iguana or tegu to the event to get them microchipped for free.
It s one of five similar events throughout the state in May and June to nudge pet owners into following new rules to protect Florida native habitats and wildlife from high-risk, exotic reptiles.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is helping people who have pet green iguanas and tegus come into compliance with the new rules governing those and 14 other reptile species, which take effect Thursday.
Invasive pet reptile restrictions take effect this week A black and white Tegu lizard (Source: Associated Press) By ABC7 Staff | April 27, 2021 at 10:04 AM EDT - Updated April 27 at 10:04 AM
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WWSB) - Owners of certain nonnative reptiles will have to follow new rules which take effect Thursday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.
The FWC if offering to help pet owners come into compliance with the new invasive reptile rules, designed to protect Florida from high-risk, nonnative reptiles, including pet green iguanas and tegus.
Pet owners will have 90 days from the effective date to apply for a no-cost permit and mark their pets with a Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag, also known as a microchip. Working with a variety of partners, the FWC is holding Tag Your Reptile Day events throughout the state to offer pet owners an opportunity to have their pet green iguanas or tegus microchipped for free. Staff will also be on hand to a