Its Coming Down Like Rain Again
If you're looking to have a myth debunked, you've come to the wrong place. "Frozen Iguanas Falling From Florida Copse" is neither the name of a schlocky B-rated horror moving-picture show nor an urban legend. It's something that really happens, which, if you're a Floridian yourself, you might exist somewhat familiar with. But the rest of us may but be getting used to the fact that information technology rains more than than cats and dogs in The Sunshine Land. In improver to hurricanes and alligators, in that location's some other form of reptilian precipitation to watch out for.
But only why does this phenomenon happen? The short 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 condition yet. But there'south a longer respond, and it'south a fascinating tale of invasive species, animal physiology and one of the strangest weather condition reports you'll ever run across.
Iguanas Are Cold-Blooded, Which Induces Lethargy
When a creature is common cold-blooded, its body temperature changes forth with shifts in the ambient temperature that occur in the air effectually the creature. This lies in contrast to warm-blooded animals, which are able to maintain internal torso temperatures higher than those of their surround due to their differing metabolic processes. Snakes, crocodiles, alligators, turtles and lizards, all of which are reptiles, are generally common cold-blooded. When temperatures around them drop, and then does their internal temperature. This procedure likewise happens to iguanas — even the iguanas that call Florida home.
As the temperature in the air — and, thus, the iguanas' blood — drops, they become increasingly inactive. When external temps reach almost 45 degrees Fahrenheit, iguanas exposed to these conditions enter a stunned or dormant country. They'll gradually become so sluggish so immobilized that they may look dead — merely aren't. These lethargic lizards are actually still 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 charge per unit.
That said, if it stays in the 40s longer than viii hours, those persistent cold temperatures tin can become fatal to iguanas. But just how common cold does it have to be to trigger lethargic responses? That depends. Ron Magill, Zoo Miami's communications managing 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 tin tolerate for longer periods." That may accept to do with the fact that the larger lizards have more blood in their bodies and then they can 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 flow of time when they're awake each twenty-four hour period is one. Diurnal animals like iguanas are active during daylight hours and inactive at night when they slumber or rest. Because iguanas are already ho-hum or sleeping at night when temperatures are virtually likely to accomplish their lowest points, that's when iguanas are nigh vulnerable to the lethargy-inducing furnishings of a cold snap. The night temperatures and the cold ambience temperatures compound.
There's one more thing about iguanas' diurnal nature to know well-nigh, though. Information technology'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 day. But they then sleep up in the relative condom of tree branches.
A typical slumbering iguana is perfectly capable of remaining condom and secure in a tree until morning. However, when iguanas are rendered lethargic or asleep by cold temperatures, their immobility causes them to lose their grip on the branches. Iguanas that succumb to the coldest overnight temperatures in Florida simply fall out of bed — and onto the ground to exist 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's temperatures without going through this issue — they're native to rainforests, subsequently all. Simply even if that were ordinarily the case, there are a few factors working against iguanas in this regard.
Commencement, temperatures depression enough to trigger this effect are pretty uncommon in Florida, so the lizards aren't exposed to these dips often enough to develop any kind of evolutionary response. Low lows happen occasionally — it'south ofttimes January when they do occur — only Florida temperatures in the 40s are by far the exception rather than the dominion.
While Florida does have a small number of native iguana species, the vast bulk of these lizards in Florida — including the about mutual green iguana, a species that'south helpfully named Iguana iguana — aren't native to Florida at all. They're actually invasive, so they haven't adapted to the land'southward (very) occasional chilly weather.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in that location are over twoscore non-native iguanas and relatives calling The Sunshine Land home. These transplants were introduced to Florida every bit a issue of the pet trade. In 1995 alone, 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) Not Dead
In most cases, an iguana that you might discover lying on the ground under a tree first thing in the morning isn't dead and won't dice from the cold snap. Rather, information technology's simply immobilized or comatose due to the cold. Equally the temperatures increase around the iguana and it's exposed to sunshine, the iguana'southward blood temperature will increment, as well.
Gradually, the iguana volition become more energetic and scamper away. As the Miami Zoo's communications managing director mentioned, though, very cold temperatures can kill small iguanas, just many simply milkshake off the cold (and any falls from trees) with the arrival of warmer temperatures and sunshine.
With this in listen, it probably won't be so startling side by side time you hear virtually weather forecasts — yes, the Miami National Weather Service has issued them earlier — for raining iguanas in Florida. In addition to having the do good of this full general introduction to the reptile-related implications of cold snaps, though, yous can sometimes count on Florida weather condition forecasters to give you all the information you lot demand fifty-fifty if some of it is definitely not information you want. (Check out this story near a Florida weather forecast that went mode beyond the probability of atmospheric precipitation, humidity and expected high and low temps.)
So, if you lot always should hear the telltale slap of an iguana hitting the ground in the cool temperatures of a Jan Florida night, don't be alarmed. Iguana pelting is normal. Weird, but normal.
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Source: https://www.reference.com/science/why-rain-iguanas-florida?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740005%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex
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