Florida wildlife officials are reminding people how not to respond if they come across iguanas that have gone immobile in the cold.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) explains that when temperatures reach near freezing or lower, nonnative green iguanas and other reptiles may enter a state of torpor, temporarily losing muscle control. This can occasionally cause green iguanas to drop from trees, it says.
In a Thursday post on X, the FWC outlined actions residents should avoid when they find a reptile stunned by chilly temperatures, linking to an earlier post from the agency which said:
“Definitely do not bring them inside, whether your house or your car. Iguanas can recover from torpor quickly, much faster than you’d think. Wild iguanas can be defensive when not able to escape, sometimes using their sharp teeth and nails, and long tails that whip.
“Don’t allow pets to interact with iguanas (or other wildlife)—whether cold-stunned or otherwise. See the part about iguanas being defensive above.
“Don’t relocate or release green iguanas (or any nonnative species—it’s illegal). Keep in mind that a permit is needed to possess live green iguanas, a Prohibited species in Florida,” it added.
Parts of the Sunshine State have faced plummeting temperatures this week, and even the possibility of snow.
As of Friday morning, freeze warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS) span much of northern and central Florida.
Northeast and northern portions were expected to see subfreezing temperatures as low as 24 degrees and wind chills as low as 20, according to a freeze warning for the area in place until 9 a.m. EST as of reporting.
“The cold wind chills as low as 20 degrees could result in hypothermia or frostbite if precautions are not taken,” the NWS said, adding that young children, older adults, and people without housing are especially vulnerable to the cold.
Coastal Franklin County could see temperatures as low as 24, while Glades and Hendry Counties are expected to experience temperatures as low as 28. Parts of southwest and west central Florida are expected to see the mercury fall as low as 26 with wind chills as low as 25, according to the NWS. The alerts for these areas are in force until 9 a.m. EST Friday.
“Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” the NWS cautioned.
