Florida residents have been told to watch out for falling iguanas, as a bizarre winter weather phenomenon sweeps much of the state.
Known for its warmer temperatures throughout most of the year, the sunshine state is bracing for a rare cold snap, with freeze warnings and frost advisories issued by the National Weather Service and temperatures as low as 26°F (-3°C) recorded in some areas.
But with the mercury plummeting, another, altogether more unexpected warning has been issued, as reports emerge of frozen iguanas falling to the ground.
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As weird as it sounds, apparently its no reason to panic. According to WSVN weather presenter Vivian Gonzalez, the iguanas are actually fine, and are in fact just stunned by the cold weather.
'We've entered FALLING IGUANA territory as temps. are in the widespread 40's across Broward & Miami-Dade,' she tweeted, adding, 'They slow down or become immobile when temps. drop & could fall from trees, but they are not dead. Don't approach. Once the sun is out, they will move.'
Iguanas are known to enjoy bathing in the sunlight, and will climb up trees to rest on the branches above in order to catch the most rays. When things get chilly, though, their bodies slow down and can even become immobile, as their breathing slows to conserve energy, in some case causing them to slip off their branches and onto the ground below.
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'They're kind of stuck in place like the tin man. They can't move,' said Emily Maple of Palm Beach Zoo, per Mirror.
The process doesn't cause any harm to the iguanas, unless they fall into traffic or another unwise spot, and all humans need to worry about is making sure they don't happen to wander under a tree at the moment one loses its grip.
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Iguanas aren't native to Florida, but one expert says there are signs the animals are growing more used to the occasional cold snaps than local residents.
'Iguanas are definitely getting acclimatised, they're getting used to the cooler weather – unlike us in South Florida!' Steve Kavashansky told WPTV. A self-proclaimed 'iguana buster', Kavashanksy said he would ordinarily receive around 20 calls from neighbours concerned about falling iguanas in January, but had so far only been called into action twice during this current cold spell.
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Hannah Smith