US EditionFlorida Issues Emergency Order for Cold-Stunned Iguana Removal During Winter Weather
- On Friday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued Executive Order 26-03 allowing public removal of live, cold-stunned green iguanas without a permit during the cold-weather window.
- With green iguanas already classified as invasive, a strong cold front set to plunge South Florida temperatures can leave reptiles immobile, prompting FWC's permit-free removal under Executive Order 26-03.
- FWC instructs collectors to place iguanas in sealed cloth sacks inside locked containers labeled `Prohibited Reptiles`, wear protective clothing, and deliver animals immediately for euthanasia or transfer to permitted dealers.
- Under the order, Executive Order 26-03 expires at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2, and covers FWC-managed properties and private property with landowner permission, with five FWC drop-off offices accepting iguanas.
- Because iguanas can damage infrastructure, FWC notes they burrow into canal banks and landscaping, and prolonged cold can kill or sicken them, affecting ecosystems and human safety.
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Cold-Stunned Iguanas in Florida
Joe Raedle / GettyFrom left: Blake Wilkins and Andrew Baron, who are Redline Iguana Removal trappers, unload cold-stunned as well as dead green iguanas from the back of a pickup truck after they collected them during a cold spell on February 2, 2026, in Hollywood, Florida. South Florida has seen back-to-back nights of overnight temperatures in the mid-30s. The cold-blooded invasive species fall from trees when temperatures get too low. Wilkins s…
Green iguanas appeared motionless in courtyards, sidewalks and streets of southern Florida after a recent cold wave. The phenomenon is not related to rains or extreme winds.The cause responds to a physiological reaction of these reptiles to low temperatures.Iguanas are cold-blooded reptiles. Their organism depends on the environment to regulate vital functions.When the temperature approaches the freezing point, the animals enter a state of torpo…
A curious phenomenon is happening these days in Florida, United States, local media call it “Iguana rain” and even the authorities have had to implement some measures to control the situation. It turns out that the state of Florida is plagued by green iguanas (Iguana iguana), a non-indigenous species of the area that was introduced decades ago and ended up spreading into the state. Now, with the cold wave that is affecting the country, these ani…
US deep freeze sends iguanas tumbling from trees across Florida, with some ending up
As a rare cold snap grips Florida, frozen iguanas fall from trees in large numbers, prompting residents to collect them, turn some over to authorities and, in a few cases, cook them into iguana pizza
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