Florida Pizza Joint Kept Dead Iguana In Freezer

PALM BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) - First there were Florida Man stories. Then came Florida Woman stories.

Now, Florida Pizza Joint stories?

A West Palm Beach pizza shop was forced to close for a day last week after a state inspector found a dead 80-pound iguana stashed in a freezer.

An employee of Pizza Mambo told The Sun-Sentinel that the reptile was given as a personal gift to the owner. It was stored in a separate freezer away from the restaurant's food and was immediately trashed after they were informed it was a violation.

Non-native iguanas are multiplying so rapidly in South Florida that a state wildlife agency has been encouraging people to kill them. Iguanas aren't dangerous or aggressive to humans, but they damage seawalls, sidewalks, landscape foliage and can dig lengthy tunnels. The males can grow to at least 5 feet long and female iguanas can lay nearly 80 eggs a year.

They are considered a delicacy by some. One company even makes iguana sausages and burgers.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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