Florida Freeze Prompts Roundup of Cold-Stunned Iguanas as Thousands Fall From Trees

Thousands of “cold-stunned” green iguanas fell from trees across Florida during a record cold snap this week — enabling residents to scoop up thousands of the unwanted lizards and deliver them to be killed.Green iguanas are classified as an invasive species in the state. The burrowing animals can grow up to 6 feet long and cause damage to infrastructure like sidewalks. They also eat native plants, affecting the balance of Florida’s ecosystems.Several Florida cities broke low-temperatures records on January 31 and February 1. When temperatures dip into the 40s, iguanas become immobilized and drop from trees. They can stay in a temporary state of paralysis for days until they warm back up.The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued an executive order to temporarily allow residents to collect iguanas and turn them over for euthanizing. Wildlife officials say residents brought in 5,195 of the lizards in a two-day collection period.Some of the captured iguanas were put into a program to be sold outside of the state. The rest were “humanely killed” by trained staff, the commission said in a release.Social media influencer Ryan Izquierdo collected and turned over at least 100 stunned iguanas. He documented catching them on his Instagram account. “This is basically a South Florida Easter egg hunt for dinosaurs,” he wrote.State officials warned residents not to take any cold-stunned reptiles into their homes to warm up. “Iguanas can recover from cold-stunning more quickly than you may expect and, once recovered, can act defensively, with long tails that whip and sharp teeth and claws,” wildlife officials said.The green iguanas are among 600 nonnative fish and wildlife species reported in Florida. State officials say a majority have been introduced via the live animal trade and 139 species have become established in the state by reproducing in the wild.Green iguanas are not protected in Florida except by state anti-cruelty laws, and residents can humanely kill green iguanas year-round on their own property. The state changed the rules in November to allow people to obtain permits to trap the reptiles in metal cages.

Florida Freeze Prompts Roundup of Cold-Stunned Iguanas as Thousands Fall From Trees

More from the New York Sun

The 50,000 Dow

The Dow 50,000 Prosperity Rocket Ship

Luigi Mangione’s Jeopardy

More from the New York Sun

The 50,000 Dow

The Dow 50,000 Prosperity Rocket Ship

Luigi Mangione’s Jeopardy

Will the Navy End Iran’s Ability To Export Oil?

Algebra, English, and Activism: Teachers at Middle and High School Instruct Students How To Protest ICE

Ex-CNN Star Ashleigh Banfield, Savannah Guthrie’s Former Coworker, Doubles Down on Her Reporting About Brother-in-Law

Economical Horror Indie ‘The Arborist’ Outshines Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners,’ in Many Respects

After Outrage, Trump Deletes ‘Racist’ Meme Depicting the Obamas as Apes