Cold snap gives Floridians a chance to turn in cold-stunned iguanas. Here's how
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Friday issued an executive order establishing special regulations that temporarily allow people to remove live, cold-stunned green iguanas from the wild without a permit.
“Green iguanas are an invasive species in Florida and have adverse impacts on the state’s environment and economy”, the FWC said.
FWC staff will accept cold-stunned iguanas collected by the public at five locations on Sunday, Feb. 1, from 9 a.m. to noon, and Monday, Feb. 2, 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, 3900 Drane Field Road, Lakeland
Removal of green iguanas may be done by property owners or by members of the public with landowner permission. The regulations also apply to Commission-managed property in the South and Southwest regions.
When collecting live, cold-stunned green iguanas, the FWC advises wearing protective gloves, pants and long-sleeved shirts to prevent scratches. Iguanas must be placed in a secure, escape-proof cloth sack or bag, which must be securely closed. Only cloth bags may be used for primary containment to ensure breathability.
Before transport, the secured collection bag must be placed into a second locked transport container labeled “Prohibited Reptiles.” Collected iguanas should be transported to the FWC immediately to reduce the likelihood of the animals regaining mobility.
Once transport begins, collection bags must remain sealed until transferred to FWC staff to prevent escape or injury if the iguanas recover from torpor.
When temperatures drop to near-freezing or below, reptiles and amphibians, including green iguanas, can enter a state of torpor and temporarily lose muscle control, sometimes falling from trees.
The FWC warns the public not to bring cold-stunned iguanas into homes or buildings to warm up and not to place them in vehicles unless transporting them to an FWC office.
