Will frozen iguanas fall from trees in Florida?

MIAMI, Fla. - As temperatures drop, there is a possibility iguanas may drop as well.

While it's true cold-stunned iguanas occasionally fall from trees in South Florida, it doesn't happen very often.

In previous years when the temperatures were forecast to drop into the low 40s, the National Weather Service Office in Miami issued a "falling iguana" warning to residents.

Temperatures in Miami are not expected to fall into the 40s any time soon, but FOX 13 Chief Meteorologist Paul Dellegatto says the thermometer will dip into the 40s in the Bay Area at night for the next several days.

It needs to be very cold (by Florida standards) to impact the iguanas. (FOX Weather)

This doesn't happen very often and iguanas are not native to Florida. Green iguanas are an invasive species in Florida, just like the Burmese pythons, wild monkeys and the giant toxic cane toads.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the first reports of the lizard-like reptiles started in the 1960s around Miami-Dade County. The Florida iguana population has continued to grow, expanding as far north as St. Lucie County and along the Gulf Coast. Green iguanas can grow up to five feet and weigh close to 20 pounds.

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According to the FWC, escaped or released pets are the primary source of invasive species in Florida.

Iguanas are cold-blooded and when the temperatures drop, the normally tropical reptiles slow and can become cold-stunned. If they happen to be in a tree or some brush, which is where they like to hang out, they might fall during their cold-stunned slumber.

A maintenance worker holds an iguana immobilized from cold temperatures outside an apartment complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020. Cold-stunned iguanas fell from trees in South Florida Wednesday morning as temperatur

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In a previous interview with FOX Weather, Zoo Miami Communications Director Ron Magill said the temperatures need to be below 50 degrees constantly to slow an iguana down considerably.

"Though there have been instances when temperatures have dropped low enough for an extended period of time when iguanas are stunned, it is not a regular occurrence," Magill said.

On the rare occasion, the temperatures in South Florida drop to the mid-to-low 40s for about 8 hours or more. This is enough time for iguanas to become incapacitated. The iguanas aren't usually dead but snap out of it after a few hours.

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And remember how some iguanas are larger than several feet? It takes more to slow their roll.

"It depends on the size of the iguana, because larger animals will take longer to cool down as their body mass can maintain heat longer," Magill explained. "Whereas a 2-foot iguana may become stunned in a couple of hours at 50 degrees, it may take twice as long for a 6-foot iguana to react in a similar manner."

Studies have also shown that some species of lizards are adapting and getting used to colder temperatures which could mean the iguanas might be able to survive further north.

A 2020 study published in Biology Letters found that the South Florida lizards are adapting in response to more frequent extreme climate events.