They are a pest: green iguanas. There are too many of them in Florida. A weather phenomenon causes them to fall from the trees. For many it is a death sentence.
You’re taking a relaxing morning walk through the park and suddenly an iguana falls at your feet. This can happen right now in Florida. The cool weather causes green iguanas to fall from the trees.
Why cold weather causes iguanas to fall from trees
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On average, the temperature in southern Florida is almost 20 degrees in January. However, sometimes it can get really cold – even down to below zero. At temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, the cold-blooded lizards slow down their body functions – up to the point of cold paralysis, which causes them to lose their grip, as local media report. Then the iguanas fall from the trees. Too crazy to be true? See for yourself.
Iguanas fall from trees: what happens to the animals?
Most of the time this ends uninjured, but this condition is currently only short-lived. People in Florida are familiar with this phenomenon. This time, however, the opportunity is taken advantage of. Because: the animals are a plague in Florida. So it’s time for the citizens to collect! A total of 5,195 of the lizards were handed over to the locations, the wildlife agency FWC said.
The animals were introduced in the 1960s. Now the population has grown to up to a million animals, according to media reports.
SWR3 editor Franziska Thees tells the story of the iguanas:
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Iguanas fall from trees in Florida
Iguanas fall from trees in Florida
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Iguanas fall from trees in Florida
Introduced species in Germany: raccoons, nutria and co.
In Germany we also have introduced species that are becoming a nuisance. However, it is not quite as exotic as the iguanas. Mostly they are mammals. In many parts of Germany, nutria, a type of muskrat, are an invasive species. They are now heavily hunted because they have become a pest.
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dpa Bildfunk
Frank Hammerschmidt
In Baden-Württemberg alone, according to the Government Gazette almost 50,000 nutrias were killed in the 2023/2024 season. According to estimates, there are around 200,000 nutrias throughout Germany. They are a thorn in the side of agriculture – the animals were introduced from South America.
The raccoon is also spreading in Germany. According to him, there are said to be over 200,000 in the Federal Republic German Hunting Association.
picture-alliance / Reportdienste
dpa Bildfunk
Bernd Weissbrod
Other invasive species in Germany include the Egyptian goose and the raccoon dog.
How about you, there are no iguanas, but have you seen an invasive species like the raccoon or a nutria in the wild? Write your sighting in the comments.
