Green iguanas are eating native plants and undermining sidewalks at the University of Miami's Coral Gables campus, according to a student conservation leader who has documented the damage firsthand.
Sidney Blumenfeld, conservation ecology subcommittee chair for Student Government's ECO Agency, told The Miami Hurricane in a reported column that iguanas devoured newly planted firebush in a campus native garden and destroyed mangrove propagules that were part of a restoration project.
"My biggest concern about having a large population of green iguanas on UM's campus is that it would make it even more difficult to maintain our gardens," Blumenfeld said.
Iguana burrows threaten infrastructure statewide
The problem extends well beyond campus landscaping. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says green iguanas dig burrows that erode and collapse sidewalks, foundations, seawalls and canal banks. In January 2020, West Palm Beach spent almost $2 million repairing an earthen dam weakened in part by iguana burrows, according to a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) publication.
Coral Gables among first iguana hotspots
Coral Gables was among the first Florida communities to see green iguanas, which were first reported in the area in the 1960s, according to the FWC. A pet dealer reportedly released more than 300 of the reptiles around Miami in 1964.
Invasive lizards also threaten native wildlife
The lizards also threaten native wildlife. As iguanas dig and take over burrows, they displace gopher tortoises and prey on their young. Gopher tortoises are a threatened species whose burrows shelter more than 350 other animals, The Miami Hurricane reported.
UM research highlights South Florida's invasive species
In a December 2024 University of Miami research report, biology professor Chris Searcy said South Florida has more invasive species than any other continental region in the world. In urban park surveys in Miami, 93% of reptiles and amphibians observed were nonnative, Searcy said.
State ramps up iguana removal efforts
The state has stepped up removal efforts. In February, the FWC announced that 5,195 invasive green iguanas were removed from Florida's ecosystems under Executive Order 26-03 during a stretch of cold weather. Green iguanas have been on Florida's Prohibited Species List since April 29, 2021. Landowners can remove them humanely from private property year-round.
How to report iguana sightings
Residents and students who spot iguanas can report sightings through the FWC's free IveGot1 app, the IveGot1.org website or by calling the Invasive Species Hotline at 888-483-4681. The Miami Hurricane also recommends against feeding iguanas or leaving food unattended, which can draw more of the animals to one area.
