ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced Thursday that 5,195 invasive green iguanas were removed from the state’s ecosystems during a recent two-day cold snap.
The effort involved coordination between state staff, partners and the public under a temporary emergency order.
Executive Order 26-03 allowed residents to collect live, cold-stunned iguanas from their property without a permit on Feb. 1-2.
FWC officials stated that green iguanas are a prohibited species in Florida because they negatively impact the environment and the local economy.
Management of these invasive animals is a high priority for the commission.
Most of the invasive reptiles were brought to the FWC drop-off location in Sunrise, which processed 3,882 iguanas.
The Tequesta site received 1,075 lizards, while staff in Marathon collected 215 and the Fort Myers location received 23.
FWC staff worked with authorized permit holders to transfer the live iguanas into their care, including for potential sale outside the state.
Any iguanas that could not be transferred were humanely killed by trained personnel.
Because they are classified as a prohibited species, green iguanas cannot be possessed in Florida without a permit.
FWC is no longer accepting live green iguanas from the public.
Landowners seeking information on how to discourage iguanas from their property can visit the agency’s website at MyFWC.com/Nonnatives.
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