A strange phenomenon can be observed in many places in Florida: it rains iguanas from the trees. The reason is the extraordinary cold snap in the US, which also affects the southern regions. Due to the low temperatures, the reptiles freeze – they can no longer hold on to the trees and fall down.
When temperatures drop in Florida, so do the iguanas. In the so-called Sunshine State it is unusually cold at the moment and that causes problems for the reptiles: if the temperature drops below 5 degrees Celsius, they become immobile. But wildlife experts warn against touching frozen iguanas. Eventually they will warm up again and be able to move again. This condition is not particularly harmful to the animals. It can only be deadly to the lizards if the cold temperatures persist.
“Never take anesthetized iguanas home! These are wild animals and can become defensive once they warm up and recover,” according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Iguanas are otherwise not dangerous or aggressive to humans and can even be kept as pets. They have been native to South Florida and enjoy the region’s otherwise tropical climate, they are also native to the Caribbean, Central and South America.
Introduced species can become a nuisance in Florida
They are among the introduced species in Florida and also cause a lot of damage to bank reinforcements, sidewalks and plants in the US state. They can also be problematic for power supply: in the past two months there have been two power outages caused by iguanas. “Iguanas climbing power poles may be looking for a place to bask in the sun or gather heat,” she said. “They may also use power lines to access another area of interest, or if the pole has openings, they may be able to use it as a shelter,” a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission explains why the reptiles like to get up close. its stay away from this infrastructure.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
