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Florida residents being asked to kill iguanas

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 13: An iguana is seen as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission continues its efforts to try and control the invasive species on March 13, 2018 in Miami, Florida. The commission has teams of people that are trying to eliminate the reptiles by killing them, which would prevent them from eating native plants and wildlife as well as disturbing the natural Florida habitat that they are living in. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

(WPLG/CNN) – Florida residents have been given license to kill iguanas.

The green lizards have been in the sunshine state for decades, but their population has exploded recently.

State officials say there are too many iguanas in the state and they cause “erosion, degradation of infrastructure” of areas like canal banks and building foundations.

They can also be salmonella carriers.

“Homeowners do not need a permit to kill iguanas on their own property, and the FWC encourages homeowners to kill green iguanas on their own property whenever possible,” the FWC said in a statement.

Now although some don’t see iguanas as edible some countries in the Caribbean do, calling them “Chicken of the trees.”