Visit the Florida Keys and you will see all kinds of wildlife. I’ve had the chance to spend quite a bit of time there, and I love watching the animals in their native environments. But they are not all native to Florida. One of the animals that you couldn’t avoid seeing - even if you tried - is the iguana.
It is not perfectly clear how the iguana got to Florida, although there are several theories. What is impossible to ignore is how very many of them there are - counts range into the thousands. These lizards thrive in Florida because of the climate and a lack of natural predators. They devour native plants, lay claim to residential areas, and have even caused power outages. They can grow to be up to 7 feet in length and weigh up to 17 pounds.
This can become a real hazard. Iguanas love to lounge up high, where they can get uniterrupted sun exposure. However, they can become paralyzed when the temperature reaches around 6.5 degrees Celcius, and lose their grip on their perches. As I discovered when I was visiting, this can lead to a literal rain of iguanas.
Has anyone else ever experienced this wild and crazy iguana-drop?
This post is part of the #StateChallenge organized by @Kwiksatik and @Denise_Barlock. If you want to find out more, check out this post. You can also find other submissions by searching the #StateChallenge hashtag.
. In my residential area, they’ve absolutely taken over, and as you mention, 
. One day earlier this year I actually had one randomly appear on my patio, attempt to “enter” the apartment through the glass door, and give up after five minutes.
memories.