State's rare freeze gives residents and visitors green light to collect stunned invasive iguanas

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Professional exterminator discovers 'record' number of iguana eggs laid on Florida property

Humane Iguana Control of South Florida discovered a record of 98 iguana eggs on a Palmetto private property which were subsequently removed. Iguanas' breeding season lasts from around February through May. (Credit: Humane Iguana Control)

Florida's rare extreme freeze is providing a "unique opportunity" for citizens or visitors to help remove a pesky invader from the Sunshine State, its wildlife agency said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order Friday allowing people "to remove live, cold-stunned green iguanas from the wild without a permit."

Under the provisions of the order, anyone can bring the cold-stunned iguanas to five designated FWC offices on Sunday and Monday, "no permit required, to be humanely killed or, in some cases, transferred to permittees for live animal sales."

FLIGHTS GROUNDED AND EVENTS CANCELED AS DANGEROUS DEEP FREEZE GRIPS UNEXPECTED PARTS OF US

Iguanas are an invasive species in Florida that can, according to the FWC, "cause damage to residential and commercial landscape vegetation and are often considered a nuisance by property owners."

However, when temperatures dip into the 40s or below, these cold-blooded reptiles lose the ability to move their muscles — they've been known to fall from trees, appearing dead. Yet they're very much alive, just in a state of paralysis, or torpor.

Cold-stunned iguanas may look dead, but they're just in a state of shock. (Cristobal Herrera/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

South Florida was forecast to have its coldest temperatures since 2010 on Sunday morning, according to Fox Weather.

"When collecting live, cold-stunned green iguanas for removal, members of the public should wear protective gloves, pants and long-sleeved shirts to protect themselves from potential scratches," the FWC said in a news release announcing its executive order.

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"The iguanas must be contained in a secure, escape-proof, cloth sack or bag. Only cloth sacks or bags may be used for primary containment to ensure breathability — and they must be securely closed shut."

These bags should then be placed "into a second secure, locked transport container" that is labeled "Prohibited Reptiles," according to the FWC.

The FWC says residents can take advantage of Florida's freeze by transporting cold-stunned green iguanas to one of its facilities, no permit required, to be euthanized. (Saul Martinez/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Residents were urged to transport captured iguanas to the FWC "immediately to limit the likelihood of the iguanas regaining their ability to move freely."

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"Once transport has begun, collection bags or sacks must remain closed or sealed until they are transferred to FWC staff," the FWC said. 

"Iguanas can recover from cold-stunning more quickly than you might expect."

"This is to both keep the iguanas from escaping into a new location and to prevent the iguanas from getting loose in your vehicle if they start to recover from torpor."

Iguanas were first reported in South Florida in the 1960s and have thrived in the state's warm climate, according to the FWC.

A green iguana enjoys fresh leafy greens. These reptiles have thrived in Florida's generally warm climate. (iStock)

They also "breed like rabbits" and threaten native wildlife and plants, said Darcie Arahill, a Florida-based angler and content creator of Darcizzle Offshore YouTube videos that teach the art of fishing.

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Arahill previously told Fox News Digital that she uses a bow and arrow to hunt and kill them, which is permitted in Florida. She's harvested them and posted YouTube videos about how to cook them.

She said the tail is the "best part," but the bigger the lizard, the more meat there is on the legs.

Green iguanas are an invasive species that threaten Florida's native wildlife and plants. (iStock)

She likes to boil iguana meat in water with potatoes and carrots, almost like a stew, "to the point where the meat just falls off the bone."

The FWC cautioned the public that anyone encountering a cold-stunned iguana "should never bring it into your home or building to warm up, and never put it into your vehicle unless specifically transporting [it] to the FWC" under the executive order.

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"Iguanas can recover from cold-stunning more quickly than you might expect and, once recovered, can act defensively, with long tails that whip and sharp teeth and claws," the FWC said.