Puerto Rico to kill iguanas, export meat

Saturday, February 4, 2012

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Iguanas of Puerto Rico: Your days are numbered.

The island's government is announcing plans to kill as many as possible of the reptiles and export their meat in hopes of eradicating an imported species that has long vexed residents and entertained tourists.

The Secretary of Natural Resources says the island has roughly 4 million iguanas, which is a little more than the population of the U.S. Caribbean territory itself.

Daniel Galan Kercado said Friday that health officials have given his agency the go-ahead to create a plan for volunteers to capture iguanas and bring them to a processing center that would distribute the meat. He said it is popular in states with large populations of Latino and Asian immigrants. (AP)