1,000+ green iguanas turned in to FWC in 1 day during historic South Florida cold snap
Meteorologists warned us this would be a common sight, and it happened: intense cold has arrived in Florida, and iguanas fell victim to the chilly weather.
As the cold front swept through South Florida, bringing historically low temperatures, the invasive reptiles were left cold-stunned and immobile.
While some people watched from afar, others took action to turn the green iguanas into the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to be humanely euthanized or released to permitted individuals.
NBC6 cameras saw how the FWC office in Sunrise on Sunday collected more than 1,000 of these animals in just one day.
One resident said he had brought in between 50 and 100 iguanas, and another said he’d collected “over 100 pounds of iguanas” within “45 minutes to an hour.”
Still, other videos shared by Only in Dade showed people carrying iguanas and warming them inside cars, using towels and even blow dryers.
However, there are regulations in place against those actions. The FWC has issued an order allowing the public to capture these reptiles for a limited time.
FWC Temporarily Permits Iguana Capture
On Friday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued an executive order permitting individuals to temporarily capture green iguanas that are stunned by the cold, without requiring a special license.
Green iguanas are an invasive species in Florida and pose significant environmental and economic risks to the state, the FWC stated.
Where Can You Take Stunned Iguanas?
FWC staff will accept cold-stunned iguanas collected by the public on Sunday, Feb, 1, and Monday, Feb, 2, during the following hours:
- Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon
- Monday, February 2nd, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Drop-off locations include:
- FWC South Florida Regional Lab, 2796 Overseas Highway 119, Marathon
- FWC Office, 10052 NW 53rd Street, Sunrise
- FWC Tequesta Field Lab, 19100 SE Federal Highway (U.S. 1), Tequesta
- FWC Law Enforcement Office, 2423 Edwards Drive, Fort Myers
- FWC Southwest Regional Office, 390 Drane Field Road, Lakeland
Property owners or members of the public, with the homeowner’s consent, can humanely kill green iguanas. These regulations also apply to properties managed by the Commission in the southern and southwestern regions of the state.
How to Safely Capture Frozen Iguanas
The FWC advises using protective gloves, long pants, and long-sleeve shirts to avoid scratches. Iguanas should be placed into a secure, escape-proof bag made of breathable fabric, which must be tightly sealed. Only cloth bags are approved as primary containment methods to allow for sufficient ventilation.
Before transportation, the sealed bag should be placed inside a secondary locked container labeled “Prohibited Reptiles.” Iguanas collected by the public should be delivered to the FWC immediately to reduce the chances of them regaining mobility.
During transit, collection bags must remain sealed until dropped off with FWC staff to prevent escape or injury in case the iguanas recover from their stunned state.
When temperatures approach freezing or dip below, reptiles and amphibians, including green iguanas, may enter a state of torpor, temporarily losing muscular control and, in some cases, falling from trees.
The FWC cautions the public against taking cold-stunned iguanas into homes or buildings for warming purposes, and recommends against placing them in vehicles unless transporting them directly to an FWC office.
This story was translated from Spanish with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool. An NBC digital editor reviewed the translation.
