When Will It Rain Again in Louisiana
If yous're looking to accept a myth debunked, you've come to the wrong place. "Frozen Iguanas Falling From Florida Trees" is neither the proper name of a schlocky B-rated horror film nor an urban legend. It's something that really happens, which, if you're a Floridian yourself, yous might be somewhat familiar with. But the balance of us may just exist getting used to the fact that it rains more than than cats and dogs in The Sunshine State. In addition to hurricanes and alligators, there's another form of reptilian precipitation to sentry out for.
Simply only why does this phenomenon happen? The short respond is that iguanas simply don't belong in Florida; they're not native to the land, and those living there aren't used to the extremes of Florida atmospheric condition yet. Merely there's a longer answer, and it's a fascinating tale of invasive species, animal physiology and one of the strangest weather reports you'll ever see.
Iguanas Are Cold-Blooded, Which Induces Lethargy
When a creature is cold-blooded, its body temperature changes forth 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 trunk temperatures higher than those of their surroundings 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 effectually them drop, and so does their internal temperature. This process also happens to iguanas — even the iguanas that call Florida home.
As 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 so sluggish and and then immobilized that they may await expressionless — but aren't. These lethargic lizards are actually still animate, and all their actual 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 rate.
That said, if it stays in the 40s longer than eight hours, those persistent cold temperatures tin can go fatal to iguanas. But just how cold does information technology have to exist to trigger lethargic responses? That depends. Ron Magill, Zoo Miami's communications manager, told CNN, "The temperature threshold for when iguanas begin to become into a dormant state depends greatly on the size of the iguana… More often than not speaking, the larger the iguana, the more cold it can tolerate for longer periods." That may have to exercise with the fact that the larger lizards have more than blood in their bodies so they can retain warmth in their blood a fleck longer than the smaller reptiles.
In that location may not exist many things that people and iguanas have in common, just the period of time when they're awake each 24-hour interval is one. Diurnal animals like iguanas are active during daylight hours and inactive at night when they sleep or rest. Because iguanas are already boring or sleeping at night when temperatures are near likely to achieve their lowest points, that'southward when iguanas are well-nigh vulnerable to the sluggishness-inducing furnishings of a common cold snap. The night temperatures and the cold ambient temperatures compound.
There'south one more thing almost iguanas' diurnal nature to know about, though. It'southward where they tend to sleep that matters — and that leads to "iguana rain." Iguanas typically wander the footing or stay slightly secluded in brushy areas during the day. But they then sleep up in the relative safety of tree branches.
A typical slumbering iguana is perfectly capable of remaining rubber and secure in a tree until morning. Notwithstanding, when iguanas are rendered lethargic or comatose 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 autumn 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'southward temperatures without going through this issue — they're native to rainforests, subsequently all. But fifty-fifty if that were commonly the case, there are a few factors working against iguanas in this regard.
First, temperatures low plenty to trigger this issue are pretty uncommon in Florida, and so the lizards aren't exposed to these dips frequently enough to develop any kind of evolutionary response. Depression lows happen occasionally — it'due south oftentimes January when they do occur — but 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 majority of these lizards in Florida — including the most common green iguana, a species that's helpfully named Iguana iguana — aren't native to Florida at all. They're actually invasive, so they haven't adapted to the state's (very) occasional chilly weather condition.
According to the Florida Fish and Wild fauna Conservation Commission, there are over forty non-native iguanas and relatives calling The Sunshine State home. These transplants were introduced to Florida as a result of the pet trade. In 1995 lone, over 800,000 light-green iguanas were imported into the United States from their native homelands — much warmer countries similar Honduras, Republic of 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 country.
No, That Iguana Is (Probably) Not Dead
In most cases, an iguana that you lot might find lying on the ground under a tree first thing in the morning isn't dead and won't die from the common cold snap. Rather, it'southward simply immobilized or asleep due to the cold. As the temperatures increase around the iguana and it'south exposed to sunshine, the iguana'southward claret temperature volition increase, as well.
Gradually, the iguana will become more than energetic and scamper abroad. As the Miami Zoo's communications director mentioned, though, very cold temperatures can kill small iguanas, but many only milk shake off the cold (and any falls from trees) with the arrival of warmer temperatures and sunshine.
With this in mind, it probably won't be so startling next fourth dimension you hear about weather forecasts — yes, the Miami National Weather Service has issued them earlier — for raining iguanas in Florida. In add-on to having the benefit of this general introduction to the reptile-related implications of common cold snaps, though, you tin can sometimes count on Florida weather condition forecasters to requite y'all all the information you need even if some of it is definitely non information you desire. (Check out this story about a Florida conditions forecast that went manner beyond the probability of precipitation, humidity and expected high and depression temps.)
So, if you lot ever should hear the telltale slap of an iguana hitting the basis in the absurd temperatures of a January Florida night, don't be alarmed. Iguana rain is normal. Weird, merely normal.
Source: https://www.reference.com/science/why-rain-iguanas-florida?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740005%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex
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