But what about them burrowing under streets and causing "sinkholes"?
On April 19, a concerned Key Largo resident sent Monroe County Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein a message about a "weird sinkhole" that appeared in a street in her neighborhood. When county staff arrived to investigate, they found an unexpected culprit beneath the asphalt: an iguana nest.
According to a press release from the Key West Chamber of Commerce, the county's "iguana-gate crew" discovered that the invasive critters had tunneled next to an old culvert (a drain beneath the road), where they found soft sand to lay their eggs.
"Only in Florida," said Ron Havengar, a crewmember who helped with the excavation.
Keys Weekly digital editor Gwen Filosa posted a photo of the iguana-made crater on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"An iguana BROKE THE ROAD," Filosa wrote. "They’re invasive, and I never liked them before. Quote me."An iguana tunneled under the asphalt on this Key Largo road and caused what one neighbor called a “weird sinkhole.” @monroecounty went out and found an iguana nest under the road. An iguana BROKE THE ROAD. They’re invasive and I never liked them before. Quote me. pic.twitter.com/pchD8rsOFj
— Gwen Filosa (@KeyWestGwen) April 19, 2024
"😳 Who knew iguanas had such power?!" one user responded.
"Iguanas just don’t give a f," Filosa replied.
According to South Florida iguana removal company Iguana Control, the creatures burrow to lay their eggs, typically in February and March.
However, their nests have been known to threaten infrastructure — eroding sidewalks, seawalls, and canal banks. In 2020, a dam in West Palm Beach had to be repaired after iguanas burrowed through the soft dirt around the aging structure.
