Standard Operating Procedure: Humane Euthanasia of Green Iguanas – San Juan National Historic Site
Gomez Ortiz M and Shender L. 2026. Standard Operating Procedure: Humane Euthanasia of Green Iguanas – San Juan National Historic Site. National Park Service
This document is the official Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the San Juan National Historic Site detailing the humane euthanasia methods for invasive green iguanas (Iguana iguana). It outlines the ecological and cultural damage caused by iguanas within the historic fortifications of Old San Juan and provides step‑by‑step instructions for approved euthanasia techniques that comply with AVMA Guidelines, USDA APHIS directives, Puerto Rico DNER regulations, and National Park Service policy. The SOP describes multiple methods (including captive bolt, pithing, MS-222 anesthesia, CO2 application, egg destruction protocols, and neonate management) and offers guidance on personnel roles, restraint techniques, required PPE, safety considerations, and documentation responsibilities. It also includes appendices on preparing MS‑222 solutions, cleaning euthanasia equipment, and recommended materials.
- Type
- Standard Operating Procedure
- Authors
- Gomez Ortiz, Mariela; Shender, Lisa
- Date of Issue
- 2026-08-16
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- SAJU
- Keywords
- animal welfare, AVMA guidelines, captive bolt method, chemical anesthesia, CO2 application, CO2 euthanasia, cultural resource protection, DNER, egg destruction, equipment cleaning, erosion control, euthanasia procedures, field protocols, Green iguana, humane euthanasia, Iguana iguana, invasive reptile operations, invasive species, invasive species mitigation, MS-222 preparation, MS-222 solution, neonate management, NPS operational procedures, pithing, Puerto Rico, reptile control, reptile depopulation, reptile restraint techniques, SAJU, San Juan National Historic Site, structural damage mitigation, USDA APHIS, vasovagal response, wildlife management, wildlife program operations, wildlife safety, zoological procedures
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic animals