Lyrics to Here Comes the Rain Again
If you're looking to have a myth debunked, you lot've come to the wrong place. "Frozen Iguanas Falling From Florida Copse" is neither the name of a schlocky B-rated horror film nor an urban legend. It's something that really happens, which, if y'all're a Floridian yourself, you lot might be somewhat familiar with. Merely the rest of us may just be getting used to the fact that information technology rains more cats and dogs in The Sunshine State. In improver to hurricanes and alligators, there'southward another form of reptilian precipitation to watch out for.
Just just why does this phenomenon happen? The brusque reply is that iguanas merely don't belong in Florida; they're not native to the state, and those living at that place aren't used to the extremes of Florida weather yet. But there'southward a longer reply, and it'due south a fascinating tale of invasive species, animal physiology and i of the strangest weather condition reports you'll ever see.
Iguanas Are Cold-Blooded, Which Induces Languor
When a creature is common cold-blooded, its body temperature changes along with shifts in the ambient temperature that occur in the air around the animal. This lies in contrast to warm-blooded animals, which are able to maintain internal torso temperatures higher than those of their environs due to their differing metabolic processes. Snakes, crocodiles, alligators, turtles and lizards, all of which are reptiles, are more often than not cold-blooded. When temperatures around them drop, and so does their internal temperature. This process also happens to iguanas — even the iguanas that call Florida domicile.
Every bit the temperature in the air — and, thus, the iguanas' claret — drops, they become increasingly inactive. When external temps reach about 45 degrees Fahrenheit, iguanas exposed to these conditions enter a stunned or dormant state. They'll gradually become then sluggish and and so immobilized that they may expect dead — simply aren't. These lethargic lizards are actually however breathing, and all their bodily functions are continuing. Just those functions are taking place much more than slowly because the iguanas' blood is moving around their bodies at a greatly reduced charge per unit.
That said, if information technology stays in the 40s longer than 8 hours, those persistent cold temperatures can go fatal to iguanas. But just how common cold does information technology have to be to trigger lethargic responses? That depends. Ron Magill, Zoo Miami's communications director, told CNN, "The temperature threshold for when iguanas begin to go into a fallow state depends profoundly on the size of the iguana… More often than not speaking, the larger the iguana, the more cold information technology can tolerate for longer periods." That may take to do with the fact that the larger lizards have more blood in their bodies so they can retain warmth in their claret a fleck longer than the smaller reptiles.
In that location may non be many things that people and iguanas have in common, just the period of time when they're awake each day is one. Diurnal animals like iguanas are active during daylight hours and inactive at night when they sleep or rest. Because iguanas are already slow or sleeping at night when temperatures are virtually probable to achieve their lowest points, that'due south when iguanas are most vulnerable to the lethargy-inducing furnishings of a cold snap. The nighttime temperatures and the cold ambient temperatures compound.
There's 1 more than thing about iguanas' diurnal nature to know nearly, though. It's where they tend to slumber that matters — and that leads to "iguana rain." Iguanas typically wander the basis or stay slightly secluded in brushy areas during the day. But they and then sleep up in the relative safety of tree branches.
A typical slumbering iguana is perfectly capable of remaining safe and secure in a tree until forenoon. However, when iguanas are rendered lethargic or comatose past 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 exist found by startled Floridians when the sun rises.
They're Invasive and Aren't Suited for Florida's Climate
One might recollect that iguanas would've evolved to deal with Florida'south temperatures without going through this consequence — they're native to rainforests, later all. Just even if that were ordinarily the example, there are a few factors working against iguanas in this regard.
First, temperatures low enough to trigger this effect are pretty uncommon in Florida, and so the lizards aren't exposed to these dips often enough to develop any kind of evolutionary response. Low lows happen occasionally — it's often January when they practise occur — just 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 mutual greenish iguana, a species that's helpfully named Iguana iguana — aren't native to Florida at all. They're actually invasive, so they haven't adjusted to the state'south (very) occasional dank weather.
According to the Florida Fish and Wild animals Conservation Commission, in that location are over 40 non-native iguanas and relatives calling The Sunshine State dwelling. These transplants were introduced to Florida as a effect of the pet trade. In 1995 alone, over 800,000 greenish iguanas were imported into the United States from their native homelands — much warmer countries like Honduras, El salvador, Panama and Colombia. Over fourth dimension, 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) Not Dead
In most cases, an iguana that y'all might find lying on the basis nether a tree first matter in the morning time isn't dead and won't dice from the cold snap. Rather, it's just immobilized or asleep due to the common cold. As the temperatures increase around the iguana and it'south exposed to sunshine, the iguana's blood temperature will increase, too.
Gradually, the iguana volition become more energetic and scamper abroad. As the Miami Zoo's communications director mentioned, though, very cold temperatures can kill pocket-sized iguanas, but many merely milk shake off the cold (and whatever falls from copse) with the arrival of warmer temperatures and sunshine.
With this in listen, information technology probably won't be so startling side by side fourth dimension you hear nigh atmospheric condition forecasts — yeah, the Miami National Conditions Service has issued them before — for raining iguanas in Florida. In addition to having the benefit of this general introduction to the reptile-related implications of cold snaps, though, yous tin sometimes count on Florida weather forecasters to requite you all the data you need even if some of it is definitely not information you want. (Cheque out this story about a Florida weather forecast that went way beyond the probability of precipitation, humidity and expected high and low temps.)
And then, if you ever should hear the telltale slap of an iguana hit the ground in the cool temperatures of a January Florida night, don't exist alarmed. Iguana rain 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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