Florida Is 'Raining Iguanas.' Will The Invasive Reptiles Adapt?
While much of the northern part of the U.S. copes with blizzard conditions, in Florida, it's raining iguanas.
Florida residents have been sharing pictures of the reptiles belly up in backyards and on the side of roads.
The effect is brought on by the abnormally cold weather hitting the East Coast of the United States. And green iguanas, an invasive species accustomed to warm tropical climates, are struggling to cope.
Not all of the state's iguanas seen lying on the ground are dead. Many, in fact, are frozen in limbo, and some have been seen snapping back to life once their bodies warm. When temperatures drop below about 50 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, their blood starts to slow and they enter a lethargic state akin to a deep sleep. Note, this makes iguanas dangerous for people to pick up as they can become defensive once they're able to move.
The reason these iguanas have such a hard time coping with cold weather is simply that their reptile bodies aren't adapted to it.
Florida is home to a wide number of invasive species from monkeys to pythons, and iguanas are one of many species that has taken hold.
Their native habitat range stretches from southern Mexico to the Brazilian rainforest, where they spend most of their time perched in tree canopies. It wasn't until the 1960s that these large lizards, some of which can grow to be six feet long, were brought to Florida. Since then, their populations have exploded.
HOW COLD AFFECTS THE ANIMALS
Part of the reason iguanas have survived so well in Florida is thanks to the state's typically sunny, humid weather—but when cold strikes, iguanas fall.
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