The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently held a successful green iguana collection event, allowing residents to safely remove the invasive reptiles from their properties.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) organized a green iguana (Iguana iguana) collection event over the weekend, providing an possibility for residents of Florida to safely bring in cold-stunned iguanas to various FWC offices without needing a permit. The FWC issued an executive order on January 30, temporarily allowing residents to remove the invasive reptiles from their properties and bring them into designated field offices throughout the state.
The event, which took place on February 1-2, was highly successful with hundreds of iguanas being collected by residents. The Sunrise office alone reported collecting 1,000 reptiles on February 1. According to NBC6 News, one resident even brought in over 100 pounds of iguanas on February 1.
New Guidelines for handling green Iguanas
Participants were required to follow strict guidelines for handling and transporting these large lizards. The executive order allowed property owners and members of the public to humanely kill any iguanas found on properties managed by the FWC Commission.
The green iguana is an invasive species in southern Florida, believed to have arrived as stowaways on vessels from South America.This small population was likely further augmented by individuals releasing former pets into the wild. These lizards have thrived in the climate of south Florida but have been vulnerable to cold snaps, with previous ones occurring in January 2008 and January 2010. The recent cold snap is expected to considerably reduce their numbers.
Green Iguana Care Tips
The green iguana was once a popular pet lizard but has proven challenging for many keepers. They are best suited for intermediate to advanced keepers.
Wow, that’s a lot of iguanas!