Video shows cold iguana falling from tree in Florida then getting bit by cat: Watch
Amid a cold snap that brought snow to Southern states, Florida got so cold that lizards fell out of trees.
Often mentioned as an indicator of how cold it is for the Sunshine State, invasive green iguanas become immobilized as temperatures approach freezing and fall from their sleeping places on tree branches.
On Jan. 22, Avrohom Eliezer Friedman's security camera captured this phenomenon in North Miami Beach, where temperatures dipped to the low 50s, according to AccuWeather. The stunned iguana also had a run-in with another animal, as caught on camera.
Watch cold iguana fall from tree, get bit by cat
The security camera footage shows the iguana suddenly falling from the tree and landing on the concrete driveway. It appears to bounce slightly and move its legs before resting there.
Later in the footage, a cat shows up, crouched near the iguana. The cat sniffs the iguana's tail and appears to bite it, startling the iguana. The two creatures jump in opposite directions, and the cat stays back from the lizard in the video.
The lizard slowly walked away the next morning, a resident said.
Why do Florida iguanas fall from trees when it gets cold?
Green iguanas are an invasive species originally introduced from warmer climates in Central and South America, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). They live on the ground, in shrubs or in trees anywhere, including suburban developments and urban areas. And they don't handle cold well.
"When temps dip to near freezing, nonnative green iguanas can temporarily lose all muscle control, sometimes even falling out of trees," the FWC said in a social media post last week.
They don't actually die and they don't freeze solid, but when temperatures drop far enough, iguanas become immobilized. And if they were sleeping in a tree, they may lose their grip and drop to the ground.
Like all cold-blooded animals, iguanas can't generate their own heat so as the surrounding temperatures drop, so does theirs. They survive cold weather by slowing down their blood flow, circulation and heart rate.
But the paralysis is temporary most of the time. When the temperatures rise again, the stunned iguanas will usually get up and resume their business.
Kinsey Crowley is a trending news reporter at Paste BN. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com, and follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley.