Frozen Iguanas Rain Down in Florida Cold Spell

Wildlife officials encourage killing invasive critters as temperatures plunge

Feb. 4, 2026 at 1:39pm

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Thousands of frozen iguanas have fallen from trees in Florida during a record-breaking cold snap, prompting wildlife officials to urge residents to capture and kill the invasive reptiles. The iguanas become paralyzed in temperatures below 40 degrees, causing them to tumble from their perches. Authorities are collecting the stunned creatures to be "humanely killed" or transferred to permitted buyers.

Why it matters

Iguanas are considered a major nuisance in Florida, causing extensive environmental and structural damage by eating plants and eroding canal banks and seawalls. The cold weather event provides a rare opportunity for officials to remove large numbers of the invasive species from the landscape.

The details

Iguana hunter Ryan Izquierdo reported seeing iguanas up to 6.5 feet long that "look like dragons" during the cold snap. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued an executive order allowing people to collect the frozen iguanas and bring them to offices to be killed. In some cases, the reptiles will also be transferred to permitted buyers for live animal sales.

  • Temperatures in South Florida are expected to plunge back into the 40s on Friday, with 'feels like' temperatures in the 30s.
  • Cold records were shattered across Florida last Sunday, with cities hitting their coldest ever recorded temperatures for February.

The players

Ryan Izquierdo

An iguana hunter who witnessed the large, dragon-like iguanas falling from trees during the cold spell.

Shannon Knowles

The communications director for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which organized the effort to remove the invasive iguanas.

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What they’re saying

“There were iguanas that were pushing six to six-and-a-half feet long. They look like dragons, absolutely crazy.”

— Ryan Izquierdo, Iguana hunter

“South Florida has not experienced this level of cold weather in many years. So we used this opportunity to remove this invasive non-native species from the landscape.”

— Shannon Knowles, Communications director, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

What’s next

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is collecting the frozen iguanas so they can be 'humanely killed' or transferred to permitted buyers for live animal sales.

The takeaway

This cold weather event provides a rare chance for Florida officials to significantly reduce the population of invasive iguanas, which have caused extensive environmental and structural damage in the state for years. The removal effort highlights the ongoing challenge of managing non-native species that threaten local ecosystems.