The Department of Environment (DoE) and its private sector partner Cornwall Consulting Ltd. are announcing an intensive effort to train and hire more Caymanians for the Green Iguana Cull Project in the coming weeks.

“We’ve bagged about 500,000 of these invasive critters since late October, but there are probably close to one million more out there on Grand Cayman”, said DoE Terrestrial Resources Unit manager Fred Burton. “If we don’t keep pressing ahead with the cull effort during the upcoming breeding season, the Green Iguana population will bounce right back.”

Cornwall Consulting and the DoE are partnering with Workforce Opportunities & Residency Cayman (WORC), contacting unemployed or underemployed Caymanians via phone and/or email, seeking to determine if they wish to participate in the cull which runs through to the end of this year.

“We believe more people want to get involved, but they don’t feel confident in their own culling abilities,” said Cornwall Consulting Manager Karl Noble. “We can help with that.”

Mr. Noble said training programmes for prospective cullers will be held at the George Town landfill Green Iguana disposal site in the coming weeks. For more information, those interested Caymanians who are at least 18 years old should contact Cornwall via phone at 949-1544/769-8888 or via email [email protected]. Any current cullers who wish to have a “refresher” course may also participate.

The DoE will also be distributing flyers with information on how to get involved in, or receive training for, the cull at WORC, the Needs Assessment Unit and other social services agencies.

“We will need all hands on deck to ensure the continued success of the Green Iguana Cull Project,” said Environment Minister, the Hon. Dwayne Seymour. “Caymanians who want to earn some extra money and help their community deal with this invasive pest will have every opportunity to get involved.”

For more information about the Green Iguana Cull Project, Cull training or registration, please contact DoE Public Education and Outreach Officer Brent Fuller via phone at 244-5984 or email[email protected]. You may also call the DoE office line at 949-8469 or email [email protected].