Iguanas fall from trees during cold snaps because their cold‑blooded bodies partially shut down in low temperatures, making them lose muscle control and their grip on branches.

What’s actually happening

When the air dips into the 40s Fahrenheit (around 4–9 °C), green iguanas enter a temporary “torpor” or cold‑stunned state where their metabolism slows and muscles stop working properly.

They often sleep high in trees, so when they can’t move or hold on, they simply drop to the ground like stiff little statues.

Are they dead or just ‘frozen’?

Most of these iguanas are not dead; they’re immobilized. Their hearts and breathing continue at a slow rate, but they can’t move until they warm up.

Once the sun comes out and temperatures rise again, many of them “wake up,” start moving, and climb away as if nothing happened.

Why this happens in places like Florida

Green iguanas are originally from tropical regions like southern Mexico to central Brazil, where normal body temperatures are around 85–95 °F (29–35 °C).

In places like Florida, they’re an introduced species, and when a rare Arctic cold front hits, the sudden chill pushes them below their comfort zone and triggers this falling‑from‑trees phenomenon.

Is it dangerous for people or iguanas?

Adult iguanas can be several feet long and weigh several pounds, so a falling one can damage cars or injure someone if it hits them.

Prolonged cold can also seriously harm or kill the animals, especially if temperatures stay near or below freezing, even though many recover after short cold snaps.

A quick nod to the “trending topic”

This odd event has become a recurring bit of winter news in Florida, with weather alerts sometimes mentioning the risk of “falling iguanas” alongside frost warnings.

Online forums and local communities regularly trade stories and memes about frozen iguanas on sidewalks or lawns whenever a cold wave rolls through.

TL;DR: Iguanas fall from trees because sudden cold weather “stuns” them, temporarily paralyzing their muscles so they lose their grip, drop to the ground, then often revive once it warms up again.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.