Floridians bracing for a colder-than-average Christmas have been given an unusual winter warning — watch out for falling iguanas.
“Brr! Much colder temps expected for Christmas,” Miami’s National Weather Service tweeted earlier this week. “Low temperatures in the 30s/40s and falling Iguanas are possible. Keep up with forecast changes and stay warm!”
Dec 21 – Brrr! Much colder temps expected for Christmas. Low temperatures in the 30s/40s and falling Iguanas are possible. Keep up with forecast changes and stay warm! #flwx pic.twitter.com/BRYfugIE5Q
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) December 21, 2020
Iguanas, like other reptiles, are cold-blooded — so when temperatures fall too far below average for a subtropical climate like Florida’s, they enter an immobilized dormant state, which often makes them lose their grip on branches and fall to the ground.
Green iguanas are an invasive species in Florida brought from South America, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “They can cause considerable damage to infrastructure, including seawalls and sidewalks,” the FWC wrote.
The iguanas typically survive the cold snaps — and the falls. But if the temperature were to remain below average for too long, the reptiles could be in trouble. More than eight hours of sub-40 temperatures can kill iguanas.
“The temperature threshold for when iguanas begin to go into a dormant state depends greatly on the size of the iguana,” Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill said in January, when a similar warning was issued. “Generally speaking, the larger the iguana, the more cold it can tolerate for longer periods.”
In Jacksonville, temperatures are expected to drop from 80 degrees on Thursday to a low of 29 on Friday, according to the NWS — putting this year on track to be one of the top five coldest Christmases on record for Jacksonville.
