The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued Executive Order 26-03 on January 30, 2026. The order establishes temporary special regulations for the collection and transport of live, cold-stunned green iguanas (Iguana iguana), an invasive prohibited species in Florida.
The order allows individuals without permits to remove cold-stunned green iguanas from private property (with landowner permission) or Commission-managed property in the South and Southwest Regions during a current cold-weather event. Collected iguanas must be transported directly to designated FWC offices for humane euthanasia or, in some cases, transfer to permitted live animal sales.
Drop-off occurs at five locations:
- FWC South Florida Regional Lab, 2796 Overseas Highway 119, Marathon, FL 33050
- FWC Office, 10052 NW 53rd Street, Sunrise, FL 33351
- FWC Tequesta Field Lab, 19100 SE Federal Highway (US 1), Tequesta, FL 33469
- FWC Law Enforcement Office, 2423 Edwards Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33901
- FWC Southwest Regional Office, 3900 Drane Field Road, Lakeland, FL 33811
Hours are Sunday, February 1, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon, and Monday, February 2, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Collection requires protective clothing (gloves, long pants, long-sleeved shirts). Iguanas must be placed in secure, breathable cloth sacks or bags, which are then placed in a second locked container labeled “Prohibited Reptiles.” Containers must remain sealed during transport, and iguanas must be delivered immediately to prevent recovery.
Outside this order, green iguanas may not be possessed without a permit, including during transport. The FWC advises against bringing cold-stunned iguanas indoors or into vehicles except for direct transport under the order, as they can recover quickly and become defensive.
Green iguanas are invasive, with over 600 nonnative fish and wildlife species reported in Florida, 139 established and reproducing in the wild. Invasive species management prioritizes reducing negative impacts on native wildlife, economy, and human safety.
SOURCE: FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
