Florida

Iguanas Invading South Florida at Record Numbers: Experts

What to Know

  • Experts reported seeing "hundreds of thousands" of iguanas so far in South Florida this year
  • They're terrorizing residents, destroying property and even causing power outages

Iguanas invading South Florida isn't a new thing, but experts are saying they're taking over the area at what may be at record numbers this year.

Thomas Portuallo, the owner of Iguana Control, told the Sun-Sentinel the lizards are invading Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties by the "hundreds of thousands."

The number of iguanas is so large in Florida that even scientists are having a difficult time coming up with a valid estimate.

"This is the most iguanas I've seen and I've been in business for nine years," Portuallo told the newspaper.

And South Floridians can't seem to escape the out-of-control creatures and the damage they cause. Several residents have found them in their toilets. They ruin property, leave their poop everywhere and even cause outages. Iguanas are the second leading cause of power outages in South Florida behind squirrels, according to a Florida Power and Light spokesman. 

Earlier this year, researchers from the University of Florida took on a few approaches to get rid of the creatures, such as using a captive bolt gun to send a bolt into the brain, and even smashing in the iguana's heads with solid objects.

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