State of Florida removes 5,195 invasive iguanas during 2-day cold snap event
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More than 5,000 invasive green iguanas in Florida were removed during the state’s two-day exemption that allows residents and visitors to capture the cold-stunned reptiles without a permit, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The state wildlife agency announced this week that 5,195 cold-stunned iguanas were collected and brought to four designated FWC offices on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2, during South Florida’s record-breaking cold temperatures.
“The removal of more than 5,000 of these nonnative lizards in such a short period of time was only possible through the coordinated efforts of many staff across multiple FWC divisions and offices, our partners, and of course the many residents who took the time to collect and deliver cold-stunned iguanas from their properties,” Roger Young, FWC executive director, said at a Feb. 4 meeting in Tallahassee.
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Special regulations under the executive order allow people to remove live, cold-stunned iguanas from the wild without a permit for only two days, FWC said in a news release.
FWC said 3,882 of the 5,195 iguanas collected were collected at FWC’s office in Sunrise, about 13 miles west of Fort Lauderdale.
Florida wildlife officials said 5,195 iguanas were harvested during a two-day exemption from a state law requiring permits to transport the reptiles. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The other 1,075 were collected at FWC’s location in Tequesta, about 39 kilometers north of West Palm Beach.
215 iguanas were collected at the drop-off point in the Florida Keys, and 23 iguanas were captured in Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast.
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FWC staff worked to coordinate the transfer of collected iguanas to permit holders, including sale outside the state. According to the FWC, all reptiles that were not transferable to permit holders were humanely killed by trained personnel.
Green iguanas are a prohibited species in the Sunshine State due to their “adverse impact on Florida’s environment and economy,” Young said.
Green iguanas are an invasive reptile and a banned species in Florida due to their “adverse impact” on the environment. (iStock)
Because they are an invasive species in Florida, iguanas can be humanely killed on a person’s property and are not protected outside of the state’s anti-cruelty laws.
“If you encounter a cold-stunned green iguana, you should never bring it into your home or building to warm up,” according to the FWC news release.
When temperatures drop, iguanas lose the ability to move their muscles.
“Iguanas can recover from cold stunning more quickly than you might expect, and once they recover, they can act defensively with their long whip-like tails and sharp teeth and claws.”
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Low temperatures in Miami reached 35 degrees on February 1, while low temperatures in West Palm Beach reached 30 degrees, breaking records for that date set in 1909, according to National Weather Service data.
Green iguanas were first reported in South Florida in the 1960s, according to the FWC.
When temperatures drop, they lose the ability to move their muscles and have been known to fall from trees looking dead. But they are very much alive and in a state of paralysis or torpor.
When temperatures drop, green iguanas, stunned by the cold, fall from the trees. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Many Floridians have taken advantage of the region’s rare winter freeze to harvest the pesky reptiles, which can wreak havoc on people’s property and “leave messes on docks, moored boats, sea walls, porches, decks, pool platforms and inside swimming pools.”
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“In cleared habitats such as canal banks and vacant lots, green iguanas are found in burrows, culverts, drainpipes, and piles of rocks or debris,” according to the FWC.
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“South Florida’s extensive man-made canals serve as ideal dispersal corridors to further enable iguanas to colonize new areas.”
The FWC no longer accepts live iguanas from the public, the organization said.
