Researchers in Florida are taking a controversial approach to ridding the state of invasive iguanas overtaking residents' yards.
They're bashing their heads in... literally.
A team at the University of Florida is using a captive bolt gun that sends a bolt into the brain, similar to what's used in the livestock industry. They're also smashing the creatures' heads against solid objects to cause blunt force trauma. They've killed 249 iguanas so far.
UF wildlife biologist Jenny Ketterlin told the Sun Sentinel it's the most humane way to kill them.
Their work is part of a research project contracted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Officials say iguanas are an invasive species that feed on native plants and wildlife.
But veterinarian Dr. Susan Kelleher says the head-bashing method is cruel. She suggests sedating and then euthanizing them.