Florida Fish And Wildlife Alert
Icy, invasive iguanas
Brrrr. With colder temperatures coming our way this holiday weekend, you might see nonnative green iguanas in a state of torpor, where they temporarily lose all muscle control. You might even see them falling off trees. Whatever you do, don’t bring wild green iguanas into your home or your car to warm up! They can recover more quickly than you think and become defensive, using their long tails and sharp teeth & claws. A few more things to know:
Have iguanas digging around your yard or eating your landscaping? Learn ways to discourage iguanas from frequenting your property at MyFWC.com/Iguana. It’s illegal to release or relocate green iguanas (or any nonnative species). Releasing nonnative species can harm native wildlife. Keep in mind that people cannot be in possession of live green iguanas without a permit as they are a Prohibited species in Florida. Homeowners can humanely kill green iguanas. Iguanas, like all nonnative, invasive species, are not protected in Florida except by anti-cruelty law. If you are not able to safely remove iguanas from your property using humane methods, please seek assistance from a professional wildlife trapper: bit.ly/3FCNccK You can report sightings of nonnative species in Florida at IveGot1.org.