I Think I Smell the Rain Again
If you're looking to have a myth debunked, you've come to the incorrect place. "Frozen Iguanas Falling From Florida Trees" is neither the name of a schlocky B-rated horror film nor an urban fable. It's something that really happens, which, if you're a Floridian yourself, y'all might exist somewhat familiar with. But the rest of us may but be getting used to the fact that it rains more than cats and dogs in The Sunshine State. In add-on to hurricanes and alligators, at that place'due south another course of reptilian precipitation to watch out for.
But just why does this phenomenon happen? The curt answer is that iguanas simply don't belong in Florida; they're not native to the state, and those living there aren't used to the extremes of Florida weather yet. But there's a longer reply, and it's a fascinating tale of invasive species, animal physiology and i of the strangest atmospheric condition reports you lot'll ever see.
Iguanas Are Cold-Blooded, Which Induces Lethargy
When a creature is cold-blooded, its torso temperature changes forth with shifts in the ambient temperature that occur in the air effectually the animal. This lies in contrast to warm-blooded animals, which are able to maintain internal body 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 cold-blooded. When temperatures around them drop, so does their internal temperature. This process too happens to iguanas — even the iguanas that call Florida home.
Equally the temperature in the air — and, thus, the iguanas' blood — drops, they get increasingly inactive. When external temps attain about 45 degrees Fahrenheit, iguanas exposed to these conditions enter a stunned or fallow land. They'll gradually become and so sluggish and so immobilized that they may look dead — only aren't. These lethargic lizards are actually however breathing, and all their bodily functions are continuing. Simply those functions are taking place much more slowly because the iguanas' blood is moving around their bodies at a greatly reduced rate.
That said, if information technology stays in the 40s longer than eight hours, those persistent cold temperatures can become fatal to iguanas. But just how cold does it accept to be to trigger lethargic responses? That depends. Ron Magill, Zoo Miami'south communications managing director, told CNN, "The temperature threshold for when iguanas begin to go into a dormant land depends greatly on the size of the iguana… More often than not speaking, the larger the iguana, the more than cold information technology can tolerate for longer periods." That may have to do with the fact that the larger lizards accept more blood in their bodies and so they can retain warmth in their blood a bit longer than the smaller reptiles.
The Lizards Are Diurnal — and They Have Unconventional Sleeping Spots
In that location may non be many things that people and iguanas have in common, but the catamenia of fourth dimension when they're awake each day is 1. Diurnal animals like iguanas are active during daylight hours and inactive at dark when they sleep or rest. Considering iguanas are already ho-hum or sleeping at night when temperatures are about likely to attain their everyman points, that'southward when iguanas are most vulnerable to the lethargy-inducing effects of a cold snap. The nighttime temperatures and the cold ambient temperatures compound.
There's ane more matter about iguanas' diurnal nature to know near, though. Information technology'southward where they tend to slumber that matters — and that leads to "iguana rain." Iguanas typically wander the footing or stay slightly secluded in brushy areas during the day. Merely they then sleep upwards in the relative safety of tree branches.
A typical slumbering iguana is perfectly capable of remaining safe and secure in a tree until morning. Even so, when iguanas are rendered lethargic or comatose by cold temperatures, their immobility causes them to lose their grip on the branches. Iguanas that succumb to the coldest overnight temperatures in Florida merely fall out of bed — and onto the ground to be found 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'southward temperatures without going through this issue — they're native to rainforests, afterwards all. But even if that were ordinarily the case, there are a few factors working against iguanas in this regard.
Beginning, temperatures low plenty to trigger this result are pretty uncommon in Florida, then the lizards aren't exposed to these dips often enough to develop any kind of evolutionary response. Depression lows happen occasionally — it'due south often Jan when they do occur — but Florida temperatures in the 40s are past far the exception rather than the rule.
While Florida does take a small number of native iguana species, the vast majority 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, then they oasis't adapted to the state's (very) occasional chilly conditions.
Co-ordinate to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there are over 40 non-native iguanas and relatives calling The Sunshine Land home. These transplants were introduced to Florida as a event of the pet trade. In 1995 lonely, over 800,000 green iguanas were imported into the United States from their native homelands — much warmer countries similar Honduras, El salvador, Panama and Colombia. Over fourth dimension, and then 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 Dead
In most cases, an iguana that you might find lying on the basis under a tree first affair in the forenoon isn't dead and won't dice from the common cold snap. Rather, information technology'south but immobilized or asleep due to the common cold. As the temperatures increment around the iguana and information technology'southward exposed to sunshine, the iguana's blood temperature volition increase, also.
Gradually, the iguana volition become more energetic and scamper abroad. Every bit the Miami Zoo's communications director mentioned, though, very common cold temperatures can kill pocket-sized iguanas, merely many simply shake off the common cold (and any falls from trees) with the arrival of warmer temperatures and sunshine.
With this in mind, it probably won't exist so startling next time you hear about weather forecasts — yes, the Miami National Conditions Service has issued them before — for raining iguanas in Florida. In improver to having the do good of this full general introduction to the reptile-related implications of cold snaps, though, you can sometimes count on Florida weather condition forecasters to give you lot all the information you need even if some of information technology is definitely non information you want. (Check out this story about a Florida weather forecast that went mode beyond the probability of precipitation, humidity and expected loftier and low temps.)
Then, if yous ever should hear the telltale slap of an iguana hitting the ground in the cool temperatures of a January Florida night, don't be alarmed. Iguana rain 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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