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In late January 2026, South Florida experienced something that locals rarely prepare for: a genuine cold front. Temperatures plunged into the mid-30s°F across the region — unusual enough to make national news, and cold enough to trigger one of the most dramatic wildlife spectacles in the state: thousands of green iguanas falling from trees.
What followed was a remarkable chain of events involving the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, thousands of volunteers, a viral pizza, and a massive spike in public interest about eating iguana meat. Here's what happened, why iguanas react to cold the way they do, and what the 2026 cold front means for anyone interested in iguana harvesting.
Green iguanas (Iguana iguana) are ectothermic — cold-blooded — meaning their body temperature is regulated by their environment rather than internally. This biological reality has dramatic consequences when temperatures drop.
When ambient temperatures fall to approximately 40-45°F, iguanas enter a state of cold-stunned torpor. Their muscles slow, their grip weakens, and they lose the ability to hold onto the tree branches where they typically roost. The result is visually striking: iguanas literally fall from trees and lie motionless on the ground.
This isn't death — it's a survival mechanism. The iguanas are alive but temporarily immobilized. If temperatures warm back up, cold-stunned iguanas can revive within hours, sometimes catching people off guard when the "dead" iguana they picked up suddenly starts moving.
South Florida's January 2026 cold front pushed temperatures well into the torpor zone across a wide geographic area, affecting the region's massive iguana population simultaneously.
On January 30, 2026, as temperatures began their dramatic drop, the FWC issued Executive Order 26-03 — a temporary authorization for the organized collection of cold-stunned green iguanas. This was a significant and unusual step that reflected both the scale of the event and the ongoing challenge of managing Florida's invasive iguana population.
The public response exceeded expectations. At the FWC's Sunrise office alone, more than 1,000 iguanas were delivered in a single day. Across all five collection points, the total reached over 5,100 iguanas collected and humanely euthanized during the two-day window.
These numbers underscore both the scale of South Florida's iguana population and the public's willingness to participate in invasive species management when given a clear, organized framework to do so.
The cold front and the FWC's collection effort generated widespread public engagement, but not all of it was well-informed.
Thousands of residents participated correctly: collecting cold-stunned iguanas from their properties and public areas and delivering them to FWC drop-off points. This was exactly the kind of community-level invasive species management that wildlife agencies want to encourage.
Some well-meaning individuals brought cold-stunned iguanas inside their homes to warm them up. While this may seem compassionate, it's counterproductive and potentially illegal — green iguanas are a Prohibited Species in Florida, and possession (including bringing them indoors as "rescue" animals) violates state regulations. The iguanas are invasive, and reviving them so they can return to the wild defeats the purpose of cold-event management.
Others collected iguanas with the intention of eating them but without understanding the food safety considerations involved. Cold-stunned iguanas aren't automatically safe food — proper dispatch, handling, and cooking protocols still apply. For guidance on safe iguana preparation, including the importance of prompt processing and temperature control, review our preparation guide.
The cold front didn't just fill FWC collection bins — it spawned a viral food moment. Within days of the cold snap, a North Palm Beach pizzeria began offering iguana as a pizza topping using meat from cold-stunned iguanas. The "Florida Man Pizza" generated over 2,500 requests and massive social media attention before the Florida Department of Health intervened.
Iguana tacos, iguana soup, and other iguana preparations trended on social media. Search interest in iguana recipes, iguana taste, and iguana cooking spiked to levels never seen before. The cold front had turned iguana meat from a niche curiosity into a mainstream conversation.
The pizza incident, while well-intentioned, highlighted the important gap between personal consumption (legal) and commercial food service (heavily regulated). For a full breakdown of what happened and what it means for food safety law, see our iguana pizza and food safety regulations article.
The cold front's impact extended beyond iguanas. South Florida's agricultural sector suffered significant damage, with farms like Kern Carpenter Farms reporting approximately 20% tomato crop losses. The freeze affected a range of tropical and subtropical crops across the region.
This agricultural impact has a connection to the iguana story: green iguanas are well-documented agricultural pests in South Florida, damaging crops, landscaping, seawalls, and canal infrastructure. Cold events that reduce the iguana population, while devastating for agriculture in the short term, can provide temporary relief from iguana-related crop damage.
Cold fronts create unique — and temporary — harvesting opportunities. If you're interested in sourcing iguana meat through wild harvesting in Florida, here's what to know about cold-event collection.
For complete guidance on wild harvesting, including legal requirements, equipment, and processing, see our complete iguana sourcing guide. For the full legal picture, visit our Florida iguana law page.
This point bears repeating because the 2026 cold front generated so much commercial interest: collecting iguanas for personal consumption and collecting iguanas for commercial sale or restaurant service are governed by entirely different regulations. The FWC executive order facilitated collection — it did not create a pathway for commercial food service. For a detailed explanation of why this distinction matters, see our iguana pizza food safety article.
Cold fronts reaching South Florida are not unprecedented, but they are infrequent. Significant cold-stun events have occurred in 2010, 2018, 2020, and now 2026. Climate patterns suggest these events will remain irregular but not impossible.
When they do occur, the same dynamics will play out: iguanas will fall, public interest will spike, and the tension between enthusiasm and regulation will resurface. Being prepared — understanding the biology, the legality, and the food safety considerations — means you can respond thoughtfully rather than reactively.
The 2026 cold front drove unprecedented traffic to iguana-related content. People across the country were curious: What does iguana taste like? Is it safe? How do you cook it? This wasn't idle curiosity — it reflected a genuine and growing interest in unconventional, sustainable protein sources.
Green iguanas are a destructive invasive species in Florida. Creating legitimate demand for their removal — through proper cooking and consumption — serves both culinary and ecological goals. But that demand needs to be built on accurate information about safe preparation, legal compliance, and realistic expectations.
The cold front of 2026 was a catalyst. What happens next depends on whether the interest it generated leads to informed engagement or just more viral moments.
This article draws on reporting from Local10, NBC Miami, Washington Post, Euronews, and CBS12; FWC Executive Order 26-03 (January 30, 2026); the FWC's official executive order page and public statements; and National Geographic's explainer on frozen iguanas and cold-blooded biology.
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