Florida state wildlife officials took unusual action after a short period of unusually cold weather left thousands of green iguanas cold-stunned and falling from trees across South Florida.
In January, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued an executive order temporarily allowing members of the public to remove live, cold-stunned iguanas from the wild without a permit and transport them to designated FWC offices.
Since green iguanas are cold-blooded reptiles, a cold snap can cause them to become cold-stunned, meaning they temporarily lose mobility and muscle control. They may become lethargic, unable to grip branches, and even sometimes fall from trees. It’s important to note, however, that they are not necessarily dead; some are simply immobilized and can recover once temperatures rise again…