LTC 427-2019 Iguana Control for the City of Miami Beach MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 427-2019 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager OC -cor
DATE: July 31, 2019
SUBJECT: Iguana Control for the City of Miami Beach
The purpose of this LTC is to notify the City Commission that the Property Management
Department, in coordination with the Parks and Recreation Department, will be conducting
a pilot program focused on decreasing the iguana population at five targeted locations
across the City.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), iguanas are an invasive
species that can cause significant damage to roofs, seawalls, sidewalks, and landscapes.
Their burrowing causes significant damage by eroding infrastructure, and their droppings
may contain salmonella. The FWC recommends the removal of iguanas from public and
private properties, as they are a threat to our environment. Captured iguanas must be kept
in captivity as pets or humanely euthanized.
As part of this pilot program, iguanas will be captured via snare or trap, and removed from
the following parks, where there is a high probability that members of the public may come
into contact with these reptiles: Muss Park, Pinetree Park, Brittany Bay Park, Scott Rakow
Youth Center, and Flamingo Park.
Through this practice, iguana populations at these sites are projected to be drastically
reduced. If the pilot program is successful, the scope of mitigating the iguana population
will expand to other City properties.
Should you have additional questions, please contact Adrian Morales at 305-673-7631.
JLM/MT/AM