UPDATE:
The City says a code case was opened on April 8, but closed the same day because they didn't find any violations.
They also said, "The City’s Code Compliance Division does not address issues related to iguanas. The property owner should try reaching out to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to see if they can suggest a licensed trapper or provide further guidance."
ORIGINAL STORY:
Neighbors say iguanas are taking over a house in south Cape Coral.
Fox 4’s Bella Line reported on the old bank off Cape Coral Parkway that was taken over by iguanas this week.
Previous story:
https://www.fox4now.com/cape-coral/unwanted-tenants-neighbors-say-iguanas-have-taken-over-a-building-in-south-cape-coral
Neighbors saw the story and reached out to Line about the home located just blocks away.
Watch as Fox 4's Bella Line reports on the iguana invasion neighbors call a health hazard:
Rick Wheeler, who lives near the house, says invasive iguanas have taken over the vacant home that no one has lived in since before Hurricane Ian.
"You can see one, two or three of them at a time inside the house,” said Wheeler. "There's burrows everywhere around that house, along the sea wall, around the pool."
They say the iguanas have started coming onto their properties and causing issues. Wheeler says he's had to spend thousands of dollars to fix his seawall because of them.
He says just in the last 2 weeks he has killed 15 iguanas in his backyard.
"I know they're coming from there, because I see them walk over,” said Wheeler.
According to Focusing on Wildlife, these iguanas can lay up to 70 eggs a year.
"I have no idea what's living in the house, but I know there's probably hundreds of iguanas at a minimum,” said Wheeler.
Carolyn LaReau says it's not just the iguanas coming over that they have an issue with.
"You don't know what kind of hazards all of this is for our air quality,” said LaReau. “Those critters come out. They could bite a dog. They could, you know, bite a kid."
"I think that it would be very hard to sell with this house, because it's only going to get worse,” said LaReau. “I mean, I wouldn't move next door."
Wheeler says he has been talking with City Council Member Rachel Kaduk about the issue, so Line reached out to her and Kaduk said the invasive iguanas are an on going issue in the Cape and it is something she plans to bring up at a future Committee of the Whole meeting.
"Something's got to change, and something's got to change quick,” said Wheeler.
