In Florida, where the cold snaps are rare but dramatic, one man is cooking up controversy—and tacos. A TikToker named Gray Davis has turned the bizarre “raining iguanas” event into a personal culinary adventure, serving up what he proudly calls an iguana taco. And yeah, the internet has feelings about it.
Picture this: reptiles—cold-blooded and unsuspecting—start dropping from the trees like scaly fruit during a Florida chill. They’re not dead, technically. Just stunned. Frozen mid-thought, perhaps mid-judgment of human behavior. Davis, meanwhile, sees opportunity where others see falling hazards.
In a now-viral video (3.5 million views and climbing), Davis, clad in a North Face hoodie and holding what appears to be half an iguana taco, tells his followers, “They call it ‘chicken of the trees,’ and honestly, that’s not far off.” He’s not joking—he finds one, prepares it (he skips the dispatching scene, perhaps wisely), and then proceeds to cook the meat with onion, garlic, bay leaf, and a hit of salt.
The twist? Inside the iguana, he discovers 20 eggs. Instead of tossing them, he soft-boils them, whips them into a sauce with avocado, lime, and garlic—because why stop at meat when you can slather it with… its unborn offspring? It’s equal parts grotesque and strangely resourceful. Like if Bear Grylls hosted Chopped.
Beyond the shock value, there’s a deeper point here. Green iguanas are invasive to South Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has actually encouraged people to remove them—no permit needed during cold spells. Davis just chose to sauté instead of trash. Ethical? That depends on your definition—but he argues that an iguana taco might be one of the most sustainable meals you can eat in the Sunshine State.
Critics have sounded off—one TikTok user lamented, “21 souls in one meal is crazy.” Another gagged at the egg sauce. But others applauded his no-waste attitude, even calling him eco-conscious. Maybe he’s Florida’s answer to Anthony Bourdain, if Bourdain had been a bit more into reptiles and less into foie gras.
In a follow-up video, Davis addressed the critics head-on: “If you can’t beat ’em, eat ’em,” he joked. “And if you wouldn’t touch an iguana taco, that’s cool. I won’t judge. But I’d argue this is the most ethical taco on the planet.”
Florida, as always, delivers a storyline we didn’t expect. Whether you find it gross, fascinating, or oddly noble, the phrase iguana taco now lives in your brain rent-free. You’re welcome.