Falling Iguana Alert

“I’m going to take care of someone who just got an iguana dropped on his face.”

–Anamargaret Sanchez, yoga instructor

America is so large that its extremities feature exceptionally different wildlife. From Alaska’s frigid climes and polar bears to the hellscape of Florida and its crocodiles, the nation contains nearly the full range of north-to-south critter variety.

In those extremes, the local faunae tend to suit the climate and will likely flounder if major patterns change. The polar bear is the poster species for problems that arise with a warming planet, but the opposite can also have an effect.

Consider, for example, the iguana.

Native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, the lizard has become an invasive species in Florida. Likely first arriving as a pet, iguanas have set up shop in Florida, booming in population.

The Sunshine State is notoriously warm and humid, which suits the iguana perfectly, because, like nearly all lizards, they are ectothermic. That word is the scientific term for cold-blooded. They do not produce heat internally, instead relying on the Sun for warmth. Lizards thermoregulate by alternating between basking in our star’s light and cooling in a shady spot.

The iguana is an inverse polar bear. Does great when things are warm, but struggles mightily in the cold. Thankfully, in their native range and in Florida, iguanas don’t often have to worry about this issue. Year-round, the temperatures normally remain toasty enough to keep the cold-blooded reptiles in homeostasis.

But, unlike places farther south, Florida isn’t completely immune to coldness.

In November 2025, a particularly early cold snap descended from the polar regions into the United States. Only the Pacific Coast and the southwestern desert areas were spared. In the graphic above, deep purple invades large swaths of Florida, indicating temperatures dropping below the freezing point. On November 11, Florida and Maine shared temps!

This connection to New England was not good news for iguanas.

At 50 degrees Fahrenheit, they begin to become lethargic, as their metabolisms slow in an attempt to conserve energy. At 45 degrees, iguans begin to lose control of their muscles. When the temperature hits 40 degrees, they can become completely immobilized!

This cold-blooded attribute might remain a quirk, save for a couple of other iguana traits.

First, they spend a lot of time in trees.

Second, they aren’t tiny. Iguanas can reach six feet in length and can weigh up to 20 pounds.

If they lose control of their bodies, they can come flying out of trees. So, as crazy as it sounds, when temperatures reach proper levels in Florida, officials order falling iguana alerts!

A twenty-pound dumbbell from a branch can cause serious damage.

As of yet, no evidence exists of cold iguanas injuring a human, but the same cannot be said for falling iguanas in general. In 2023, an outdoor yoga class was interrupted by a clamor and a bizarre wound.

A man recalled, “I didn’t see it coming. It felt like a sandbag hit me in the face. The first thing that went through my head was it must have been a coconut. But there were no coconut trees. And then I thought maybe the guy next to me slugged me – but, I mean, we’re in a yoga class and it’s so calm and peaceful. Why would the guy hit me?”

Another practitioner watched it happen. “These two iguanas were having a moment in the tree, and I guess the smaller one was like, What the hell? I’m getting out of here! and jumped or was pushed – I don’t know what the heck happened – I guess it might’ve lost its footing, and then fell onto this man’s face.”

The projectile caused the person’s eye to swell shut and opened gashes in his nose and lips.

Perhaps the falling iguana alerts are prudent, after all!

Though the iguanas appear to be dead, they are actually just stunned. When temperatures rebound, they recover from the temporary paralysis.

Experts urge citizens not to interact with the “frozen” lizards. You probably don’t want them in your car when they wake up.

Fortunately, for lizards and people, the frigid period of November 2025 only lasted a few days. Floridians can walk around again without worrying about being clobbered by falling iguanas.