Overview
- In a two-day window on Feb. 1–2, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported 5,195 green iguanas delivered to its sites before Executive Order 26-03 expired.
- FWC said 3,882 iguanas were turned in at Sunrise, 1,075 at Tequesta, 215 at Marathon, and 23 at Fort Myers, and the agency is no longer accepting live animals from the public.
- Officials emphasized that green iguanas are a prohibited invasive species; collected animals were transferred to licensed permit holders, including for out-of-state sale, or were humanely euthanized.
- Removal totals climbed higher when adding private operations, with the Sun Sentinel reporting an estimated 8,000-plus iguanas taken by FWC, contractors, municipalities, and other groups.
- A rare cold snap sent temperatures into the 30s and 40s, triggering torpor that caused iguanas to fall from trees; with warming conditions, remaining reptiles are expected to recover naturally, and residents were warned not to bring them indoors.