Cold in the US: "Frozen" Iguanas Are Falling From Trees in Florida

You must be following the news about the cold wave that has been punishing several regions (especially) of the US and Canada in the last, right? For in addition to stunning photos of blizzards and winter landscapes, "frozen" iguanas that are falling from trees in Florida have now begun to circulate. That's right, dear reader! It's so cold there that the poor things are not realizing.

According to Herman Wong of The Washington Post news portal, iguanas images began to be shared late last week, with one example you can see in the following tweet by Frank Cerabino, who came across a with one of those reptiles lying by the pool of his house in Boca Raton:

The scene at my backyard swimming pool this 40-degree South Florida morning: A frozen iguana. pic.twitter.com/SufdQI0QBx

- Frank Cerabino (@FranklyFlorida) January 4, 2018

Very cold

According to Herman, the day Frank found the frozen iguana at his residence, it was just over 4 ° C in Florida - a temperature well below what locals are used to in winter, including poor reptiles.

The iguanas have a good chance of thawing out if you move them in the sun. Just be careful @ CBS12 pic.twitter.com/Qn2w6NFedD

- Maxine Bentzel (@MaxineBentzel) January 4, 2018

What happens is that, as with other reptiles, iguanas are cold-blooded animals. The problem is, as Kristen Sommers of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - a government agency focused on wildlife protection - explained, when the temperature drops below 10 ° C, the blood of the animals starts to circulate more slowly and they become lethargic.

STUNNED IGUANA: It was cold enough in Florida to temporarily 'freeze' iguanas in West Palm Beach. This one was being moved from a parking lot so it could warm up out of harm's way. ?? STORY: https://t.co/oo8ryJOLI6 pic.twitter.com/RAtFCwAhja

- FOX 5 DC (@ fox5dc) January 5, 2018

But temperatures dropped well below 10 degrees and remained low for several days, which is quite unusual in Florida - and that's when iguanas began to freeze and plummet from the trees. According to Herman, experts suggest that people who encounter animals avoid touching them and, as much, put them in the sun, since if these reptiles are in this state for short periods of time, it is sufficient for their bodies to be. reheated for them to "rise".

The @pbpost had a piece today about cold-shocked iguanas falling from trees. Laughed it off until I was walking back to my @pbcsd office this afternoon! Watch out! ?? from above! #iguana #cold #floridawinter pic.twitter.com/iRVgTjNxlb

- Bryan Craig Sandala (@BCSandalaSDPBC) January 4, 2018

But it is important that the population does not try to take the animals indoors or put them inside their vehicles to be transported to warmer places. In 2010, for example, he had a good Samaritan in Miami who decided to pick up a portion of temporary "freeze" iguanas and take them to the local zoo. Only with the warmth of the car, they began to come back to life and up the body of the man - who almost got involved in a serious traffic accident for his good deed.

By the way, apparently, this is not the first time frozen iguanas have been raining from trees in the US. Also in 2010, the same year of the man incident in Miami, temperatures reached -1 ° C in South Florida and remained low for several days, causing the death of many of these reptiles, as well as many snakes and other animals.