If you thought Malta’s temperatures were cold, the freezing weather in Florida is leading to iguanas falling out of trees. Warnings have ben issued to people so that they beware reptiles potentially falling on them, causing injury. As temperatures plummet, the iguanas – which as reptiles are cold-blooded animals – can get so cold that their bodies turn absolutely rigid. This makes them unable to cling to whichever branch they’re holding onto.
This leads them to fall out of the trees but are also quick to recover. This is why people are also being urged not to approach frozen iguanas as they will recuperate pretty quickly. Weather anchor for WSVN Vivian Gonzalez posted Twitter saying ‘We’ve entered FALLING IGUANA territory as temperatures are in the widespread 40’s […] Don’t approach. Once the sun is out, they will move.’
Back in 2020, communications director for Zoo Miami Ron Magill said that the temperature threshold for when iguanas begin to go into a dormant state depends greatly on the size of the iguana.‘The larger the iguana, the more cold it can tolerate for longer periods.’ Adult male iguanas can reach a length of five-feet and weigh up to 9kg – so one falling on you isn’t the best thing to have happen.
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