A frozen iguana plunged from a tree before being bitten by a curious cat.
The green lizard plummeted from the tree and crashed on a driveway with a loud splat.
It remained frozen on the spot and soon drew the attention of a neighbourhood moggy.
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The curious feline sniffed the iguana’s body as it remained frozen on the driveway.
At one point, the cat sank its teeth into the lizard’s tail, in Miami, Florida, US.
The frightened iguana was able to swish its tail and momentarily shift its body away.
The cat soon lost interest and the stunned reptile slowly made its way across the driveway over the course of several minutes.
Iguanas are not native to Florida and were brought over from Central and South America in the 1960s and 70s, according to meteorologist, Matt Devitt.
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He said the population was limited back then, but “exploded in population over the past decade”.
However, the cold-blooded reptiles have a hard time functioning in cooler climes.
It is not uncommon to see frozen iguanas plunging from lofty locations during the winter in South Florida.
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Their bodies apparently freeze when temperatures dip below 10C, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Professional iguana remover, Michael Ronquillo, said it’s because their metabolism slows down.
He explained: “They climb the trees to go to sleep.
“But once they’re up there, they get so cold that they lose grip on where they’re at and they start falling.
“They can fall on you, on roofs, on cars.
He added: “A six-foot iguana is 25lbs, if it falls on you, you’re going to feel it.”
Lisa Thompson, of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), said: “When temperatures drop and sustain to near freezing or below, non-native green iguanas can temporarily go into a state of torpor where they temporarily lose muscle control.
“The FWC reminds the public that if they encounter a cold stunned iguana, they should not bring it into their homes.
“Iguanas are wild animals and once they recover and warm up, they could act defensively.”
Ms Thompson pointed out: “Green iguanas were added to Florida’s Prohibited list on April 29, 2021, and people cannot be in possession of live green iguanas without a permit.
“Because they are not native to Florida, it is illegal to release or relocate captured iguanas.”
Mr Devitt said: “With fewer cold episodes in the decades ahead due to global warming, the frequency of falling iguanas would decrease as well.”
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