TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Invasive green iguanas threaten Taiwan's red bean industry as officials captured over 140 reptiles Thursday (Sept. 18). County councilor Hung Tsung-Chi (洪宗麒) led a pre-dawn operation in Pingtung County's Wandan Township (萬丹鄉) to combat crop damage. The iguana population surge has devastated local agriculture and raised concerns about the region's economic future.
Hung warned that prolific iguana breeding threatens farmers' livelihoods and regional ecological balance without immediate intervention. The councilor predicted devastating consequences for Pingtung's red bean industry if control measures fail. Farmer Chen (陳) described switching from red beans to chili peppers after iguana damage, only to suffer identical crop destruction.
Hung stressed that farmers and volunteers alone cannot effectively control the expanding iguana population. The councilor demanded collaborative government-public efforts to address the invasive species problem at its source. Hung urged farmers to report sightings immediately through Pingtung County's dedicated hotlines, 1959 or 1999, for official assistance.
Wandan Township, known as the "homeland of red beans," has depended on this crop as its economic foundation. The invasive iguanas now treat the agricultural area as a "feast," leaving farmers helpless and frustrated. Hung warned government inaction would cause lasting agricultural damage and severe long-term ecological consequences for the region. ◼