After a 30-year co-existence with the island's infamous invasive, Boca Grande is moving toward a serious eradication effort of the Mexican spiny-tail iguana. A pest that originated with a couple of freed pets in the 1970s, in the past five years iguanas have increased from 2,000 to 10,000, more than double the island's in-season human population.

The black spiny-tailed iguana is considered an invasive species because it is not native to the Florida ecosystem. Originally from Mexico, the iguana is believed to cause both environmental and economic harm outside of its native ecosystem. In Boca Grande, iguana burrows are feared to undermine the dune system as well as negatively impact native endangered species, such as the gopher tortoise. Since these animals are climbers, they have caused damage to homes and businesses by nesting in attics.

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