Photo: Yingjia Ni / 500px / 500px / Getty Images
It's dropping in temperature in Florida, so that means it;s time to watch out for iguanas!
Once the temperature drops below the mid-40s, iguanas go into a dormant or cold-stunned state, which can cause them to fall out of trees where they're perched. Through at least Jan. 12, widespread temperatures of 12-25 degrees Fahrenheit below are projected to expand across much of the central and eastern United States.
This sudden cold snap will bring with it cold-stunned iguanas falling from trees, which appear to be dead, but they are not, as they remain breathing with critical body functions still operating.
“When it gets cold like this, it’s funny to those who aren’t from here to see the news people talking about iguanas falling from trees, but it can and will happen,” said Joe Wasilewski, a conservation biologist and a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Iguana Specialist Group.
A fully grown iguanas can be up to 5 feet long and weigh up to 25 pounds, which can cause injury to unaware humans who don't normally prepare for them falling from a tree. So, watch where you walk in these cold days.