Frozen iguanas falling in Florida
Florida iguanas don't like cold weather
Shutterstock photo
Shutterstock photo
Feb.3, 2026
The recent cold snap in Florida created an unusual problem this week.
Frozen iguanas.
The cold-blooded reptiles were literally raining from trees after being immobilized by the icy conditions Sunday and Monday, according to The Independent newspaper.
Introduced into Florida in the 1960’s, the animals cannot regulate their body temperature and rely on warm weather to stay healthy.
Blake Wilkins, a trapper for an iguana-removal business, collected 2,500 of the lizards in two days. He’d never seen anything like it, he said.
There were so many that the Florida Fish and Game Commission allowed residents to pick the animals up and bring them to several sites for euthanizing or relocation by employees licensed to handle the reptiles.
Wildlife experts told the public not to “save” the animals, and to protect their arms and legs from being scratched once the iguana woke up.
Iguanas are an invasive species that has overwhelmed Florida’s warm, humid ecosystems. They live in burrows, culverts, drainage pipes and piles of debris, wildlife commission experts said.
Frozen iguanas.
The cold-blooded reptiles were literally raining from trees after being immobilized by the icy conditions Sunday and Monday, according to The Independent newspaper.
Introduced into Florida in the 1960’s, the animals cannot regulate their body temperature and rely on warm weather to stay healthy.
Blake Wilkins, a trapper for an iguana-removal business, collected 2,500 of the lizards in two days. He’d never seen anything like it, he said.
There were so many that the Florida Fish and Game Commission allowed residents to pick the animals up and bring them to several sites for euthanizing or relocation by employees licensed to handle the reptiles.
Wildlife experts told the public not to “save” the animals, and to protect their arms and legs from being scratched once the iguana woke up.
Iguanas are an invasive species that has overwhelmed Florida’s warm, humid ecosystems. They live in burrows, culverts, drainage pipes and piles of debris, wildlife commission experts said.
Snowfall well below normal in western states
While the Eastern United States experiences colder than normal temperatures, the west is in the grips of a snow drought.
The ground in many towns famous for their heavy snowfall like Park City, Utah, and Vail, Colo.is bare or has only inches of snow, according to the New York Times.
Lack of snow during the winter months is bad news for most western states residents as snowmelt fills water reservoirs crucial for drinking, crop irrigation and trout streams.
A 26-year megadrought had led to extremely low water levels in reservoirs fed by the Colorado River which serves 80 million people in seven western states and Mexico. The problem is compounded by residential development-especially in Utah- which places additional demand on what water is left.
Higher than normal temperatures turn usual winter precipitation into rain. which floods low lying mountain communities.
From Dec. 1 2025 to Jan. 15, temperatures were 15 degrees above normal in the Rockies, the Cascades and the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. At this time last year, Mt. Bachelor, Ore. Had 109 inches of snow in its base. This year it has only 27 inches.
While the current situation is bleak, forecasters are hoping for late-spring rainstorms which could bring water resources somewhat near normal.
The ground in many towns famous for their heavy snowfall like Park City, Utah, and Vail, Colo.is bare or has only inches of snow, according to the New York Times.
Lack of snow during the winter months is bad news for most western states residents as snowmelt fills water reservoirs crucial for drinking, crop irrigation and trout streams.
A 26-year megadrought had led to extremely low water levels in reservoirs fed by the Colorado River which serves 80 million people in seven western states and Mexico. The problem is compounded by residential development-especially in Utah- which places additional demand on what water is left.
Higher than normal temperatures turn usual winter precipitation into rain. which floods low lying mountain communities.
From Dec. 1 2025 to Jan. 15, temperatures were 15 degrees above normal in the Rockies, the Cascades and the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. At this time last year, Mt. Bachelor, Ore. Had 109 inches of snow in its base. This year it has only 27 inches.
While the current situation is bleak, forecasters are hoping for late-spring rainstorms which could bring water resources somewhat near normal.