Over 5,000 cold-stunned iguanas removed in two days during state's record freeze

More than 5,000 invasive greenish iguanas successful Florida were removed during the state's two-day exemption that allowed residents and visitors to seizure the cold-stunned reptiles without a permit, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The authorities wildlife bureau announced this week that 5,195 cold-stunned iguanas were collected and brought to 4 designated FWC offices connected Feb. 1 and Feb. 2 during South Florida's play of record-setting acold temperatures.

"The removal of implicit 5,000 of these nonnative lizards successful specified a abbreviated clip span was lone imaginable acknowledgment to the coordinated efforts of galore unit members successful aggregate FWC divisions and offices, our partners and, of course, the galore residents that took the clip to cod and crook successful cold-stunned iguanas from their properties," Roger Young, FWC's enforcement manager said astatine a Feb. 4 gathering successful Tallahassee.

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Special regulations nether an enforcement bid allowed radical to region live, cold-stunned iguanas from the chaotic without a licence for 2 days only, the FWC said successful a quality release.

Of the 5,195 iguanas collected, 3,882 of them were amassed astatine the FWC's bureau successful Sunrise, astir 13 miles westbound of Fort Lauderdale, the FWC said.

Florida wildlife officials said 5,195 iguanas were collected during the two-day exemption of the state's instrumentality requiring permits to transport the reptiles. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Another 1,075 were collected astatine the FWC's determination successful Tequesta, immoderate 24 miles northbound of West Palm Beach.

There were 215 iguanas collected astatine the drop-off determination successful the Florida Keys and 23 nabbed successful Fort Myers connected the Gulf Coast.

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FWC unit worked to coordinate the transportation of iguanas collected to licence holders, including for merchantability extracurricular the state. Any of the reptiles that couldn't beryllium transferred to licence holders were humanely killed by trained staff, according to the FWC.

Green iguanas are a prohibited taxon successful the Sunshine State due to the fact that of their "negative impacts connected Florida's situation and economy," Young said.

Green iguanas are an invasive reptile and a prohibited taxon successful Florida due to the fact that of their "negative impacts" connected the environment. (iStock)

Because they're an invasive taxon successful Florida, iguanas tin beryllium humanely killed connected a person's spot and are not protected but by the state's anti-cruelty laws.

"If you brushwood a cold-stunned greenish iguana, you should ne'er bring it into your location oregon gathering to lukewarm up," according to the FWC's quality release.

When temperatures dip, iguanas suffer the quality to determination their muscles. 

"Iguanas tin retrieve from cold-stunning much rapidly than you whitethorn expect — and, erstwhile recovered, tin enactment defensively, with agelong tails that whip and crisp teeth and claws."

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Low temperatures successful Miami reached 35 degrees connected Feb. 1, portion lows successful West Palm Beach deed 30 degrees — breaking records for that date, acceptable successful 1909, according to National Weather Service data.

Green iguanas were archetypal reported successful South Florida successful the 1960s, according to the FWC.

When temperatures dip, they suffer the quality to determination their muscles and person been known to autumn from trees, appearing dead. But they're precise overmuch live and successful a authorities of paralysis, oregon torpor.

When temperatures drop, cold-stunned greenish iguanas driblet from trees. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Many Floridians took vantage of the region's uncommon wintertime frost to circular up the pesky reptiles that tin harm people's properties and "leave droppings connected docks, moored boats, seawalls, porches, decks, excavation platforms and wrong swimming pools."

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"In cleared habitats specified arsenic canal banks and vacant lots, greenish iguanas reside successful burrows, culverts, drainage pipes and stone oregon debris piles," according to the FWC. 

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"South Florida's extended man-made canals service arsenic perfect dispersal corridors to further let iguanas to colonize caller areas."

The FWC is nary longer accepting unrecorded iguanas from the public, the enactment said.