Erlin Stream in Changhua's Fanyuan has been overtaken by green iguanas after someone released one into the wild. This is a huge headache for area residents. A family of four in Changhua has taken it upon themselves to catch iguanas with slingshots and on one day caught 41.
Two youths lock in on a green iguana near Erlin River.
Here, here. Over there. Use the stick to hit it.
One fires a slingshot at the iguana while the other runs ahead to catch it. The largest one they catch on this day weighed over 30 catties.
Grab its tail. Be careful of its tail. Younger brother, go help. Younger brother, go help. Grab its head. Wow, it's huge.
The two boys and their parents, surnamed Wu, have spent recent days catching green iguanas around the river. Using homemade tools, they have caught up to 41 iguanas a day. Local farmers say green iguanas are taking over the area and damaging the local ecosystem.
They eat our crops. I've seen them eating asparagus.
Wow. The largest one I've ever seen was around 4 or 5 catties. (Were you scared?) It had a dozen smaller ones around it.
Green iguanas have become a problem since someone released one into the wild many years ago and local residents have not been able to do anything about it. The local wild bird society says the Wu family should hold classes.
If you want to catch it, you have to get it on the first try. Don't try to play with it. Once it's in defensive mode, it will be even harder to catch.
The society says green iguanas are highly vigilant and will quickly flee farther into the woods if they are frightened. This could lead to the expansion of their habitat. It also says training is required to be able to catch the iguanas.
兩名少年來到彰化二林溪邊，一看到樹叢有綠鬣蜥的蹤影，馬上鎖定目標。
「這裡…這裡…在那邊，用竿子打牠啦！」
一人拿起彈弓瞄準，擊中綠鬣蜥之後，另一人在趕緊上前避免逃脫，好幾隻就這麼被逮到，其中這隻體型最大的，甚至重達30台斤。
「抓好尾巴，小心尾巴。弟弟去幫忙，弟弟去幫忙，頭抓好，哇！很肥喔！」
住在彰化的吳姓民眾，日前和先生以及兩名孩子，到二林溪旁抓綠鬣蜥，靠著自製工具和相互配合，最高紀錄曾一天抓到41隻。當地農民說綠鬣蜥越來越多，對當地環境衝擊也越來越大。
當地民眾表示：「會吃菜喔！蘆筍園裡的蘆筍，我也看過牠吃蘆筍呀！」
當地民眾表示：「哇！大隻的，我也看過很大的，一隻大約4、5斤。(你有嚇到嗎？) 旁邊還有十幾隻小的。」
多年前因為民眾棄養，讓彰化二林溪邊蜥滿為患。當地居民雖然也組了志工隊，但捕捉效果不佳。而彰化野鳥學會表示，希望請這家人開課，用移除的方式控制族群數量。
彰化野鳥學會總幹事 李益鑫表示：「要抓就要一次，很確實的抓到牠，不是去逗弄牠，讓牠對人的防備心更高，會更難去做移除的動作。」
野鳥學會表示，雖然看起來成效顯著，但綠鬣蜥警覺性高，如果沒抓到很容易四處逃竄，反而造成棲地擴大。雖然目前防治，還是以捕捉移置為主，但還是要經過訓練才有成效。