Tuxpan authorities rescue green iguana after delivery worker filmed attempting transport

Authorities in Tuxpan, Veracruz, intervened to rescue a green iguana after a video circulated on social media showing a delivery worker attempting to place the animal in a delivery truck's trunk. The footage, recorded near the Tumilco mangrove area—a protected natural zone—showed the worker holding the iguana by its tail while another employee filmed and laughed.

Following citizen reports, the Tuxpan City Council, municipal police, and ecology officials conducted an operation to recover the animal. The iguana has been placed under protection and will be relocated to a suitable habitat. The municipal government has reported the incident to the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa).

The green iguana is listed under NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 as a species under special protection and is included in CITES Appendix II. Under Mexican federal law, the unauthorized capture, possession, or transport of such wildlife is a federal offense that can carry penalties of up to nine years in prison. The delivery company, Transportes Castores, has reportedly expressed a willingness to cooperate with the investigation.