Hunter shares surprising recipe made with large lizards invading US state: 'It's really tender and really good'

Invasive species are, by definition, a pain and a threat to their foreign environments. Researchers and conservationists spend countless hours trying to figure out how to eradicate them and bring order back to local ecosystems.

When it comes to Florida's invasive green iguanas, TikToker Gray Davis (@gray.davis) found what he calls "a good solution." 

"You can hunt and eat them," Gray says.

The creator makes this claim in a viral video where they take the large lizard and cook it up into a curry.

@gray.davis Iguana Curry Recipe #fyp #foryoupage #iguana ♬ original sound - Gray Davis

After cleaning the iguana and separating the tail and leg meat from its bones, Gray marinates the meat. The TikToker then cooks some cinnamon leaves and curry leaves with other spices, adds the iguana with chiles and tomatoes, and finishes it with coconut milk.

After an hour of simmering, Gray gives it a taste, starting with the tail.

"If you gave me this and told me it was fish, I would not be able to tell," they say. "It's really tender and really good."

The leg meat, meanwhile, has more of a steak-like texture, they say.

Gray isn't the only person who recommends eating these lizards. Dave Canterbury, star of Discovery Channel's "Dual Survival," has also done so.

The green iguana is not native to Florida, and the state's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lists it as an invasive species. The lizards can lay up to 76 eggs at a time, helping them spread quickly, and can damage fruits, vegetables, and other plants.

Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely 👍 Depends on the animal 🤔 No way 👎 Just let people do it for free 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Because they are invasive and not protected, green iguanas can be captured and humanely killed in many Florida public lands without a permit or license. And while a creature should never be killed lightly, if its presence in an area is causing serious ecological problems and it will be eaten, it's difficult to view much differently than any other animal hunted or farmed for food.

Some commenters noted that while eating the lizard may seem strange in the United States, it's a delicacy in many other places.

"Super common in Guyana," one wrote. "You've made the Caribbean proud with your garden and naturalist hunting skills."

Others said they were inspired by Gray to try the dish.

"Just tried this," one commenter wrote. "Love it so much."

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