Temperatures are expected to drop even further in South Florida on Saturday, in fact so low that the National Weather Service warns the iguanas could fall of the trees. Cold-blooded iguanas do not tolerate cold weather, and when temperatures drop below 50, they become slow and appear dead.
He The Miami National Weather Service has tweeted Friday that “some of our Iguana friends may be sleeping tomorrow morning, whether they planned it or not.” A follow-up was made of “don’t be surprised if you see them fall from trees while lows drop in the 30s and 40s.”
Christmas Eve will be the coldest night of the season in South Florida, with temperatures in the 1940s and some highs in the 30s, according to CBS Miami.
Miami Zoo communications director Ron Magill told CBS Miami that the danger to iguanas depends on the size of the iguana. He said the bigger the iguana, the colder it can tolerate for longer periods.
He said many South Florida iguanas have adapted to dig deep burrows, so they are isolated from the cold. Iguanas also tend to live near large bodies of water, which can be warmer than air temperatures, so it can help them survive short periods of cold.
Adult iguanas have an average size of 6.6 feet and weigh 11 pounds, according to National Geographic. They are also hardy enough to land on solid ground from 40 feet and survive, according to National Geographic.