Florida Residents Warned About Falling Frozen Iguanas as Temperatures Drop in the State
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It is raining iguanas in the sunshine state.
Florida's recent bout of cold weather is causing stunned iguanas to lose their grip and fall out of trees.
On Sunday, temperatures in south Florida dropped to 25 degrees, Reuters reported per the National Weather Service (NWS). The freezing weather shocked the area's humane and reptile residents.
According to the NWS, iguanas are cold-blooded, and their bodies can go dormant when exposed to temperatures less than 45 degrees. When an iguana's body goes dormant, the creature can lose control of its grip and drop from trees and bushes. Once on the ground, dormant iguanas often appear dead but aren't.
CNN previously reported cold-stunned iguanas can still breathe and operate critical body functions in their dormant state.
Florida residents are warned about the falling iguanas each time temperatures drop below 45 degrees because the plummeting lizards can accidentally cause harm. The news outlet added that an adult male iguana can grow to reach 5 feet in length and weigh up to 20 pounds.
RELATED: 'Falling Iguana' Warning Issued in South Florida as Forecast Shows Temperatures in the 30s
Jan 30: A cold morning...not as cold as our friends to the north dealing with a blizzard...but we have our own lizards to worry about.
Did you really think with the coldest temperatures in over a decade we would not warn you about falling Iguanas? #Iguanas #flwx pic.twitter.com/ornSpetd6a— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) January 30, 2022
RELATED: Florida Cold Snaps Could Cause Iguanas to Fall from the Trees, National Weather Service Warns
On Sunday, the NWS warned Florida residents about the unique phenomenon as temperatures dropped.
In a tweet, the NWS wrote, "A cold morning ... not as cold as our friends to the north dealing with a blizzard...but we have our own lizards to worry about. Did you really think with the coldest temperatures in over a decade we would not warn you about falling Iguanas?"
TODAY reported that individuals should not try to tend to the frozen iguanas because the lizards can bite when in a state of fright and because it is illegal in Florida to warm up the reptiles and release them.
