Thai authorities said they had captured around 150 iguanas in the wild in the center of the kingdom, where the reptile, which is under an import ban, was threatening local biodiversity.
The trawl affects 134 iguanas in Lopburi province, 6 in Udon Thani and 23 in other regions of the country, the service responsible for national parks and the protection of fauna and flora said on Tuesday (DNP).
“The rapidly growing population is impacting ecosystems and environmental systems and causing problems for local populations,” this government agency said.
The rapid increase in the number of iguanas, a species not endemic to Thailand, has also contributed to the destruction of crops.
The captured iguanas were housed in wildlife centers.
Thailand recently banned imports of all species of iguana, a popular companion among the kingdom’s reptile lovers.
According to DNP, there are more than 3,600 iguanas in the Southeast Asian country, reported by about 260 people.
Authorities announced that iguana traffickers face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.