A rare cold snap across Florida left thousands of iguanas ‘cold-stunned’ and immobile, with some falling from trees. State wildlife officials say they are ready for capture.
Reptiles like iguanas are ectotherms. This means that your internal body temperature is affected by the weather outside. When it gets too cold, temperatures in Florida drop below 50F (10C), internal processes slow down and a phenomenon called ‘cold fainting’ occurs.
Florida’s Department of Wildlife Services is asking the public to capture the iguana, an invasive species not native to the state, while it is stationary. They report that more than 2,000 cold-stunned iguanas have been handed over to authorities so far.
