Look Out Here Comes the Rain Again
If you're looking to have a myth debunked, you've come up to the incorrect place. "Frozen Iguanas Falling From Florida Trees" is neither the proper name of a schlocky B-rated horror motion-picture show nor an urban legend. It'due south something that really happens, which, if yous're a Floridian yourself, y'all might be somewhat familiar with. But the rest of united states of america may just be getting used to the fact that it rains more cats and dogs in The Sunshine State. In addition to hurricanes and alligators, in that location'southward some other form of reptilian precipitation to spotter out for.
But just why does this phenomenon happen? The brusque answer is that iguanas just don't belong in Florida; they're not native to the country, and those living at that place aren't used to the extremes of Florida weather withal. But there's a longer answer, and it'southward a fascinating tale of invasive species, animal physiology and i of the strangest weather condition reports you'll ever see.
Iguanas Are Cold-Blooded, Which Induces Lethargy
When a animate being is cold-blooded, its body temperature changes along with shifts in the ambient temperature that occur in the air effectually the brute. This lies in dissimilarity to warm-blooded animals, which are able to maintain internal trunk temperatures higher than those of their surroundings due to their differing metabolic processes. Snakes, crocodiles, alligators, turtles and lizards, all of which are reptiles, are mostly common cold-blooded. When temperatures around them drop, so does their internal temperature. This process also happens to iguanas — even the iguanas that call Florida dwelling house.
Equally the temperature in the air — and, thus, the iguanas' blood — drops, they become increasingly inactive. When external temps reach about 45 degrees Fahrenheit, iguanas exposed to these conditions enter a stunned or dormant state. They'll gradually become so sluggish and so immobilized that they may expect dead — but aren't. These lethargic lizards are actually still breathing, and all their actual functions are continuing. But those functions are taking place much more slowly because the iguanas' blood is moving around their bodies at a profoundly reduced rate.
That said, if information technology stays in the 40s longer than 8 hours, those persistent cold temperatures tin can get fatal to iguanas. But simply how cold does it have to be to trigger lethargic responses? That depends. Ron Magill, Zoo Miami'south communications director, told CNN, "The temperature threshold for when iguanas begin to go into a dormant state depends greatly on the size of the iguana… Generally speaking, the larger the iguana, the more cold it can tolerate for longer periods." That may have to practice with the fact that the larger lizards take more than blood in their bodies and then they tin retain warmth in their blood a bit longer than the smaller reptiles.
The Lizards Are Diurnal — and They Have Unconventional Sleeping Spots
There may not be many things that people and iguanas have in common, but the period of time when they're awake each mean solar day is i. Diurnal animals like iguanas are active during daylight hours and inactive at nighttime when they slumber or rest. Because iguanas are already slow or sleeping at night when temperatures are most probable to reach their lowest points, that's when iguanas are near vulnerable to the sluggishness-inducing furnishings of a cold snap. The night temperatures and the cold ambient temperatures chemical compound.
In that location's 1 more than thing well-nigh iguanas' diurnal nature to know near, though. It's where they tend to sleep that matters — and that leads to "iguana rain." Iguanas typically wander the ground or stay slightly secluded in brushy areas during the twenty-four hours. But they then slumber upward in the relative safe of tree branches.
A typical slumbering iguana is perfectly capable of remaining condom and secure in a tree until forenoon. Yet, when iguanas are rendered lethargic or comatose past cold temperatures, their immobility causes them to lose their grip on the branches. Iguanas that succumb to the coldest overnight temperatures in Florida only fall out of bed — and onto the ground to exist institute by startled Floridians when the sun rises.
They're Invasive and Aren't Suited for Florida's Climate
One might think that iguanas would've evolved to deal with Florida's temperatures without going through this result — they're native to rainforests, afterwards all. But even if that were commonly the case, there are a few factors working against iguanas in this regard.
Starting time, temperatures low enough to trigger this outcome are pretty uncommon in Florida, so the lizards aren't exposed to these dips often enough to develop any kind of evolutionary response. Depression lows happen occasionally — it's often January when they exercise occur — but Florida temperatures in the 40s are by far the exception rather than the rule.
While Florida does take a small number of native iguana species, the vast bulk of these lizards in Florida — including the most common green iguana, a species that's helpfully named Iguana iguana — aren't native to Florida at all. They're actually invasive, so they oasis't adapted to the land's (very) occasional chilly weather.
According to the Florida Fish and Wild animals Conservation Commission, there are over xl non-native iguanas and relatives calling The Sunshine State domicile. These transplants were introduced to Florida as a result of the pet trade. In 1995 lone, over 800,000 green iguanas were imported into the United States from their native homelands — much warmer countries like Honduras, El Salvador, Panama and Colombia. Over time, so many iguanas escaped or were released by pet owners into the wild that they established a presence throughout the state.
No, That Iguana Is (Probably) Non Expressionless
In most cases, an iguana that you lot might find lying on the footing under a tree first thing in the morning isn't expressionless and won't dice from the cold snap. Rather, it'southward simply immobilized or comatose due to the cold. Every bit the temperatures increase effectually the iguana and it's exposed to sunshine, the iguana'due south blood temperature will increase, too.
Gradually, the iguana will go more energetic and scamper away. As the Miami Zoo's communications managing director mentioned, though, very cold temperatures can kill modest iguanas, just many just milk shake off the cold (and any falls from trees) with the arrival of warmer temperatures and sunshine.
With this in mind, it probably won't exist then startling next time y'all hear about weather forecasts — yep, the Miami National Weather Service has issued them before — for raining iguanas in Florida. In improver to having the do good of this general introduction to the reptile-related implications of common cold snaps, though, y'all can sometimes count on Florida weather forecasters to give you all the information you need even if some of it is definitely not information yous want. (Check out this story nigh a Florida weather forecast that went mode across the probability of precipitation, humidity and expected loftier and low temps.)
So, if you e'er should hear the telltale slap of an iguana hitting the footing in the cool temperatures of a January Florida night, don't be alarmed. Iguana pelting is normal. Weird, but normal.
Source: https://www.reference.com/science/why-rain-iguanas-florida?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740005%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex
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