21 January- Seeking to bolster the number of registered cullers for the ongoing 2018/19 Green Iguana Cull Project, the Department of Environment (DoE) will hold a second registration drive to support the cull effort.
The registration drive will be held starting Thursday, 24 January outside the George Town Landfill entrance at the location where culled Green Iguanas are currently being counted. The registration process will be overseen by the project manager, Cornwall Consulting. The week-long registration will continue through Thursday, 31 January and will be open between 8am and 5:30pm each day, including Saturday, 26 January, but not on Sunday, 27 January or on Monday, 28 January, which is a public holiday.
Requirements for culler registration remain the same. Participants must provide proof of Caymanian status and must be at least 18 years old. Individuals can register alone or in cull groups. Businesses may also register for the cull, provided their trade and business license is up-to-date.
During its initial culler registration drive in October 2018, the DoE issued a total of 349 registrations for the iguana cull. However, as the cull progressed, DoE managers noted that 78 of those registered cullers never turned in any Green Iguanas.
Meanwhile, a group of about 60-70 individuals expressed interest about becoming involved in the cull following the end of the initial registration drive. The DoE kept those individuals on a “waiting list” and now invites them to sign up. Anyone else who meets the criteria and is interested in participating may sign up as well.
“We’re serious about this project and want to recruit people who are motivated and who will produce results,” said DoE Terrestrial Resources Unit Manager Fred Burton. “As temperatures have dropped and cullers removed more than 340,000 Green Iguanas from the population, these lizards are becoming harder to find. We’ll need hard work and dedication to see this through.”
“I wish to note my appreciation for this ongoing initiative of the DoE and the efforts of the cullers to-date”, said Minister for Environment, Hon. Dwayne Seymour.