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COLD – After the frozen bats, here are the iguanas fallen from the sky. Since Wednesday evening, the United States has been hit by a winter storm of rare intensity. The center and east of the country face polar winds and temperatures that drop to -48°C in places. The snowfall images are impressive and unfortunately the human toll is high. This weather episode is also impacting wildlife, particularly in Florida.
This South American state is nicknamed the Sunshine State because it is known for its hot and humid climate. But this year Christmas was particularly cold there, with temperatures around 0°C. A situation that surprised the residents, but also… the green iguanas. on social networks, and as you can see in the video at the top of the articleseveral Floridians are sharing photos of these lizards lying motionless on the ground.
Like crocodiles and turtles, green iguanas are cold-blooded animals, which means their internal temperature varies depending on the external environment. When temperatures drop, they become stiff as their bodies no longer have enough heat to move.
Usually this happens gradually: when temperatures drop below 10 degrees, the lizards slow down, then below 5 degrees they become immobile. But the current winter storm has come at us with such speed that the iguanas freeze and fall from the trees as if frozen to death.
The phenomenon is not new, but it is always impressive that a “frozen” iguana falls on your head during a Christmas walk. Especially since these large lizards can grow up to 1.5 meters long and weigh up to five kilos.
Just a “temporary” condition
Contrary to appearances, these green iguanas are neither dead nor actually frozen. In a tweet, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recalled that “these are cold-blooded reptiles that are going into TEMPORARY paralysis during this cold phenomenon.”
Above all, the organization calls for animals not to be brought home to warm up, otherwise they will wake up and become aggressive. “Whatever you do, don’t bring wild green iguanas into your home or car to warm up! They can recover faster than you think and become defensive with their long tails and sharp teeth and claws,” she said in a statement.
Most iguanas will recover when temperatures return to normal, which will happen “by the middle of next week,” according to the latest US Weather Service (NWS) Bulletin. Some can have consequences, particularly due to dehydration and accumulated starvation.
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