Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission just made a big move. On Friday, they issued an executive order that lets people remove live, cold-stunned green iguanas from the wild, no permit needed, at least for now.
These iguanas aren’t supposed to be here. The FWC calls them invasive, and they’ve been causing trouble for Florida’s environment and economy. So, the state wants the public’s help. If you spot a sluggish green iguana, too cold to move, FWC staff will take the iguanas off your hands.
You can bring any cold-stunned iguanas you collect to one of five drop-off spots. They’re open Sunday, February 1, from 9 a.m. to noon, and again Monday, February 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Here is where to go: The FWC South Florida Regional Lab in Marathon, the FWC Office in Sunrise, and the FWC Tequesta Field Lab in Tequesta. There are two more locations in Fort Myers and Lakeland as well.
The goal is simple: get these invasive iguanas out of Florida’s wild spaces, at least while the cold snap lasts.
