Florida Removes 5,000 Invasive Iguanas in 2-Day Effort

When record cold temperatures paralyzed thousands of invasive iguanas across South Florida, residents and officials teamed up to tackle an environmental problem in the most unexpected way. In just two days, a coordinated effort removed over 5,000 of the destructive reptiles that have plagued the state for decades.

On February 1 and 2, Florida experienced its coldest temperatures in over a century, with Miami dropping to 35 degrees and West Palm Beach hitting 30 degrees. The freeze triggered an unusual phenomenon: thousands of green iguanas fell from trees in a state of cold-induced paralysis, appearing dead but very much alive.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission seized the moment. They issued a special executive order allowing anyone to collect the stunned reptiles without a permit, something normally prohibited by state law.

The response was remarkable. Floridians across the state brought 5,195 iguanas to four designated drop-off locations. Nearly 3,900 arrived at the Sunrise office alone, with over 1,000 more in Tequesta and hundreds in the Florida Keys and Fort Myers.

Green iguanas have caused serious environmental and economic damage since they first appeared in South Florida in the 1960s. They destroy native vegetation, damage infrastructure by digging burrows in canal banks, and leave droppings on docks, boats, and pool decks. Because they're invasive and not protected by wildlife laws, Florida actively encourages their removal.

The Ripple Effect

This unique cold-weather response shows how communities can turn natural events into conservation opportunities. The coordinated effort involved multiple FWC divisions working overtime to manage collection sites and coordinate transfers to permitted handlers outside the state.

Many of the collected iguanas were transferred to permit holders for sale outside Florida, while others were humanely euthanized by trained staff. The operation required careful planning because the reptiles can recover from cold-stunning faster than expected and defend themselves with whipping tails, sharp teeth, and claws.

FWC Executive Director Roger Young praised the teamwork. "The removal of over 5,000 of these nonnative lizards in such a short time span was only possible thanks to coordinated efforts of many staff members, our partners, and the many residents that took the time to collect cold-stunned iguanas from their properties," he said.

While Florida is no longer accepting iguanas from the public, this unprecedented two-day effort made a real dent in the invasive population threatening the state's native ecosystems.