LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — Lake Worth Beach residents are facing what they call an invasion of iguanas.
WATCH BELOW: 'Iguanas have taken over,' Norma Andualda tells WPTV
It's become a daily nuisance, leaving many in the community feeling overwhelmed saying the green reptiles are taking over their homes and surroundings.
"Iguanas have taken over," said one resident, Norma Andualda. "They’re in my roof or they’re in the gutter hiding or they’re in the trees."
The situation has escalated to the point where Andualda claims to see an average of 10 iguanas daily and has even discovered "iguanas with no heads, because the dogs have killed them" in her backyard.
Andualda believes, the increase in the iguana population may be tied to a recent incident at Lake Worth Community High School.
The school's pool was overtaken by a wave of iguanas, forcing it to shut down and then get demolished.
"There's nowhere for them to go, so they just go around and they start going wherever they can go," she explained as the iguanas had to relocate.
Cory Evans, the owner of Palm Beach Iguana Control, said the pool demo may have increased the populations residents are seeing.
“The population in Lake Worth Beach is getting out of control,” said Evans claiming the population in Lake Worth Beach over the last five years doubles every year.
WATCH BELOW: Iguana invasion shuts down Lake Worth High School pool indefinitely
He pointed to several factors contributing to this situation, including the region's dense vegetation. Evans said iguanas love the summer weather and that July and August are the busiest time of the year. He said the hotter it gets the more they reproduce, and that there hasn't been a big cold front to control the population, which he said he hasn't seen get cold enough in the last five years.
In December of 2022, an iguana caused a "large-scale" power outage in Lake Worth Beach after it fell into equipment and had to be removed, impacting 1,431 customers, according to city officials at the time.
"The damage that it costs in the long run with these iguanas outweighs just leaving them alone," Evans warned. "The problem with Lake Worth Beach is it’s such a dense population, some people have more issues than others, even if you're able to go ahead and control the population on one property, the surrounding area has so many iguanas, that they just kind of start moving back in."
Despite the urgency of the matter, efforts to mitigate the iguana population are hindered by regulations.
Florida law prohibits the use of gas or poison for iguana removal, and in Lake Worth Beach, there are even limitations on the use of air rifles, which Evans typically relies on for capturing the reptiles.
"They're limited to traps and catching them by hand and humanely euthanizing them," he explained.
WATCH BELOW: Iguana causes 'large-scale' power outage in Lake Worth Beach
Florida Fish and Wildlife allows residents to humanely kill them recognizing the invasive nature of iguanas.
Evans recommends a proactive approach for homeowners: trimming trees and removing vegetation that may attract these unwelcome guests.
In response to the increased iguana activity, the city government has invested over $100,000 in preventive measures. These efforts include climbing-resistant barriers for poles and trees to prevent iguanas from climbing.
"What are we going to do about them?" asked Yvonne Peterman, a long-time resident who described the iguana situation as "terrible."
After 33 years in Lake Worth Beach, Peterman found herself taking matters into her own hands. In an attempt to protect her beloved trees, she wrapped them in aluminum sheets, which she claims helped deter the iguanas from climbing.
"Oh yeah it helped, And I'm afraid of them so that kept them from going up" said Peterman, who had a question to city officials. "They're here now and they're here to stay, so what are we going to do about them? Just get rid of the iguanas. Terrible, they’re everywhere, they be all on top of the houses, eat up all the plants, the iguanas have taken over."
Echoing the concerns of many, Andualda called for more action from city officials.
"I don’t have anything against animals," she asserted, worried about safety. "But when it comes to my grandkids and my pets, I think it’s time for them to do something."
Read more of WPTV's coverage below:
Lake Worth Beach
'Please do something': Lake Worth High pool demolition sparks calls for change
Lake Worth Beach
IGUANA INVASION: Reptile problems cause pool closure
Lake Worth Beach
