Selling Iguana? Be Ready to Pay Up $10K

If you are caught with iguana meat over the next four months, be prepared to face a fine of up to $10,000. That’s because it is currently the closed season for iguana hunting. The period runs from February 1 to June 30 every year, a timeframe that the Belize Forestry Department describes as critical for the species’ survival.

The department’s chief forest officer, Victoria Chi, says the ban protects iguanas during their most vulnerable and delicate stage as these four-legged animals work towards “replenishing their populations.”

“One of the major reasons why we do it is because basically they are breeding. They need to replenish their populations,” Chi said. “And so that also coincides with when people want to eat them because they have the eggs inside. And so hence the reason it’s closed.”

Although the Forest Department does not directly monitor iguana populations, it actively works on the Iguana Conservation Programme in collaboration with the San Ignacio Hotel. Chi said injured iguanas, often found after illegal hunting, are taken there for recovery before releasing them back into the wild.

Chi said enforcement will be amped up. “A lot of the enforcement, um, comes from the police department. We will have patrols in different targeted areas, hotspot areas where we know people stand up and sell iguanas,” she said.

She said known areas include La Democracia, Hattieville, and Sandhill intersections.

“Right now, it’s just to respect the season. It’s closed. It’s closed for a reason. Let’s just learn to respect that,” Chi added.

Members of the public can report illegal hunting to 610-1524.