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As Miami bundles up thanks to this week’s cold snap, one thing to watch out for is falling reptiles. The New York Times broke down this South Florida phenomenon: iguanas climb trees at night to sleep, but when the weather dips into the 30s or 40s, the iguanas can’t handle it.
“When the temperature goes down, they literally shut down, and they can no longer hold on to the trees,” Zoo Miami’s communications director Ron Magill told the NYT.
But they can be revived from their deep sleep. Although the iguanas may look dead, once the sun comes out and the temperature warms up, they can pop back to life.
One Keys resident tweeted helpful advice for animal lovers who want to help: “Warning: if your dog brings a frozen iguana into your home, the iguana will warm up and run around the house.”
PHOTOS: Cold weather stuns South Florida iguanas https://t.co/bPx8VDzUyV pic.twitter.com/b8gJCJ243n
— WPTV (@WPTV) January 4, 2018
Some iguanas in Miami are freezing their tails off! https://t.co/U3kvfaxje7 (Photo: WPEC) pic.twitter.com/YOBNarF16u
— WPDE ABC15 (@wpdeabc15) January 4, 2018
It’s so cold in Florida, iguanas are falling from trees – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdalehttps://t.co/f9eE3Vxc31 pic.twitter.com/d6VNKOCVoU
— Vic Warren (@VicWarren) January 4, 2018