5,000 Green Iguanas Delivered To Florida Wildlife Commission Offices

Today, at its February Commission meeting in Tallahassee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced that 5,195 invasive green iguanas were removed from Florida’s ecosystems under Executive Order 26-03, thanks to the collaborative efforts of many members of the public, partners, and staff. 

The EO has since closed and the FWC is no longer accepting live green iguanas from the public. Special regulations under the EO temporarily allowed people to remove live, cold-stunned green iguanas from the wild without a permit and bring them to select FWC offices on Feb. 1–2, during a period of extended cold temperatures in South Florida.

“The special regulations under EO 26-03 provided a unique opportunity for members of the public to remove cold-stunned green iguanas from their property during the recent unusual cold weather and bring them to the FWC, no permit required,” said FWC Executive Director Roger Young. “As an invasive species, green iguanas have negative impacts on Florida’s environment and economy. The removal of over 5,000 of these nonnative lizards in such a short time span was only possible thanks to the coordinated efforts of many staff members in multiple FWC divisions and offices, our partners, and of course the many residents that took the time to collect and turn in cold-stunned iguanas from their properties.”

FWC staff worked with permit holders authorized to be in possession of live green iguanas to coordinate the transfer of live iguanas to their care, including for sale outside of the state. Green iguanas are a Prohibited species in Florida due to their negative impacts on native wildlife and the economy and cannot be possessed without a permit. Any iguanas turned in to FWC that could not be transferred to permit holders were humanely killed by trained staff.

Out of the 5,195 green iguanas collected by the FWC, 3,882 of the invasive reptiles were collected at the FWC’s Sunrise drop-off location. The FWC’s Tequesta location received 1,075 green iguanas, the Marathon drop-off site received 215 green iguanas, and the Fort Myers location received 23 green iguanas.

Invasive green iguanas are not protected in Florida except by state anti-cruelty laws, and members of the public can humanely kill green iguanas year-round on their property or with landowner permission. People needing assistance with safe and humane removal of iguanas can contact a professional wildlife control operator. Landowners wanting to discourage iguanas from frequenting their property can find more information at MyFWC.com/Nonnatives.

The FWC reminds the public that if you encounter a cold-stunned green iguana, you should never bring it into your home or building to warm up. Iguanas can recover from cold-stunning more quickly than you may expect and, once recovered, can act defensively, with long tails that whip and sharp teeth and claws.

More than 600 nonnative fish and wildlife species have been reported in Florida. Eighty percent of these have been introduced via the live animal trade, with 139 species established in Florida, meaning they are reproducing in the wild. Invasive species management is a high priority for the FWC because these animals negatively impact native fish and wildlife, cause damage that is costly to repair, and can pose a threat to human health and safety.

To view the Executive Order, visit MyFWC.com/About, and click on “Office of the Executive Director.”