We often come across stories about how extreme weather events are affecting the planet’s inhabitants. We keep learning about how they impact a specific ecosystem or a species in some corner of the world and in ways nobody can foresee. Recently in the news for this is the iguana.
This January, South Florida experienced unusually cold temperatures. At one point, it even reached -3 degrees Celsius, making it among the lowest since 2010. Days before the region plunged into cold weather, the National Weather Service warned residents about the impending weather change. It also alerted them to look out for iguanas falling off trees in the area. What do low temperatures have to do with falling iguanas?
As cold-blooded reptiles, iguanas rely on the sun to keep them warm and their body functioning properly. But neither can happen when snow falls or the temperature drops really low, say below 4 degrees Celsius. When it becomes unbearably cold for these reptiles, they climb trees hoping to stay safe up there till it gets warmer. But what happens is, without the warmth, they cannot move because their body does not function well. So, they enter a state of sleep called torpor, which is almost like a coma. And that’s when they lose their grip and fall off the trees. Once temperatures go up (above 10 degrees Celsius), these creatures thaw out and get back to the life that once was.
This is not the first time this phenomenon has occurred – it was reported in 2018 and 2020 too. But when low temperatures continue for a longer period of time, it may prove to be fatal for these creatures.
Picture Credit : Google
