Leapin\u2019 lizards, they\u2019re cold blooded killers!<\/p>\n
Thousands of frozen iguanas<\/a> are raining down from trees in Florida again after the state faced another record breaking cold snap \u2014 and wildlife officials say its the perfect time to kill the invasive critters.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were iguanas that were pushing six to six-and-a-half feet long. They look like dragons, absolutely crazy,\u201d said iguana hunter Ryan Izquierdo.<\/p>\n A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission employee holding up a frozen iguana in Sunrise, Fla. on Feb. 2, 2026. CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH\/EPA\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n The unusually cold temperatures in the Sunshine State have caused iguanas to enter a \u201cfrozen\u201d paralyzed state and fall from trees. Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a madhouse,\u201d Izquierdo said of the center where the reptiles are being rounded up and \u201chumanely killed,\u201d according to the Washington Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n Temperatures in South Florida are expected to plunge back into the 40s Friday\u2014 with \u201cfeels like\u201d temperatures in the 30s\u2014 after shivering through extreme cold over the weekend. <\/a><\/p>\n The average low in Miami in February is usually 68 degrees.<\/p>\n As piles of Iguanas lay paralyzed in a \u201ccold stunned\u201d state, wildlife officials are urging average folks to capture the invasive creatures and take them to offices to be killed.<\/p>\n \u201cSouth Florida has not experienced this level of cold weather in many years,\u201d said Shannon Knowles, communications director for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. \u201cSo we used this opportunity to remove this invasive non-native species from the landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time we have organized a removal effort of invasive iguanas,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n An employee from Redline Iguana Removal collecting frozen iguanas from a property in Hollywood on Feb. 2, 2026. Getty Images<\/p>\n Iguanas are considered a public nuisance that cause structural and environmental damage in Florida. Getty Images<\/p>\n Iguanas\u2019 nervous systems shut down when temperatures dip into the 40s and below, often causing them to fall from their palm frond perches.<\/p>\n The reptiles are rendered temporarily paralyzed but are often fine after they thaw out.<\/p>\n But irksome Iguanas have caused years of severe environmental and structural damage in South Florida \u2014 including by chowing down on plants and eroding canal banks and seawalls.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with all you need to know\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n The wildlife commission issued an executive order Friday allowing people\u00a0without\u00a0permits to gather up the frozen reptiles and take them to offices to be \u201chumanely killed.\u201d<\/p>\n In some cases, the reptiles will also be \u201ctransferred to permittees for live animal sales,\u201d the press release states.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n