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strongerpainkillers t1_j0uu2vd wrote

Reply to comment by No-Lunch80 in Iguana causes power outage in Florida town for third time this year | CNN by GZAofTheMidwest

With a iguana population estimated as 20000 green iguanas in Florida.

they do significant damage to infrastructure and constructions, consuming wild flowers and decreasing insect life, damaging the eco system.

I wouldn't say a pest is the wrong description

It's true thing about some of the iguanas out there being former pets or their fathers/mothers were

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No-Lunch80 t1_j0uz8xw wrote

Not just some, ALL Green Iguanas are from Brazil/Mexico. It's literally Invasive, they aren't from here, aren't supposed to be here.

Yes you are correct; they wreck havoc, and yes they are technically pests by definition, as is anything that causes damage. I think the term 'non-native pest" is more apt. Term pest really undercuts the severity of Iguana problem. Mosquitos are pests also, but they belong, and removal of mosquitos from the ecosystem would cause a collapse. Iguanas don't belong, and their presence in a ecosystem is catastrophic, with their removal actually benefiting the system.

Same with the pythons...These guys are literally destroying an ecosystem. Lots of things are pests, but the effect of Iguanas and pythons on the same ecosystem is very, very different.

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