TEQUESTA, Fla. (CBS12) — In just 48 hours, Floridians turned in 5,195 invasive green iguanas to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, a surge of removals driven by an unusual cold snap and a temporary executive order that allowed the public to collect cold-stunned lizards without a permit.
The announcement came on Wednesday during the FWC’s February Commission meeting in Tallahassee, where officials said the effort succeeded thanks to widespread public participation, agency coordination, and partnerships with authorized permit holders. Executive Order 26-03, which enabled the special collection rules, has now expired, and the FWC is no longer accepting live iguanas from the public.
The order was issued ahead of extended cold temperatures in South Florida on Feb. 1–2, conditions that left many green iguanas immobilized and easier to capture. FWC Executive Director Roger Young said the response exceeded expectations…