Suspicious death of iguanas
On June 23, an internet user published this message on the page of a Facebook group after having found several iguana carcasses in his garden located in La Savane. Suspicious deaths, which according to him, seem to coincide with the construction work,"just behind the school complex":
This post triggered numerous comments. The first debate was about whether or not it was a protected species. There are two species present on the island of Saint-Martin, the native one and the invasive one. Thus, the lesser Antillean iguana is protected, while the common iguana, the species which is currently the most commonly found, was declared a non-endangered species a year ago and is no longer protected (it was previously protected up until then due to a mistake following a Guadeloupean decree).
If we go by the invasive species’ typical ridges that can be made out on the tails of the dead iguanas in the pictures, they rather appear to be two common iguanas, which are therefore not protected. Although mistreating animals is morally condemnable, the criminal code does not deal with the fate of wild animals. Article 521-1 only specifies that "an act of cruelty towards a domestic animal, or one that is tamed, or held in captivity, is punishable by two years in prison and a 30,000 € fine". However, this does not mean that a non-protected species can be hunted and the use of poison, if it is proven, presents a potential health risk for residents and their pets.
Whether or not you object to the treatment of these wild iguanas, their death however raises the issue of the island’s progressive invasion by the common iguana.
Crédits photos : S.M pour les cadavres d'iguanes, et la réserve naturelle pour le flyer
