Frozen iguanas ‘fell from the skies’

Cayman Islands has gone through a dip in temperatures recently but at least our iguanas have survived, unlike those in nearby Miami who are literally falling from trees, frozen with cold.

The National Weather Service in Miami felt the need to issue its forecast for iguanas on Twitter. “Don't be surprised if you see iguanas falling from the trees tonight,” it tweeted on Tuesday evening.

Because iguanas are cold blooded, they slowed down, or become immobile when temperatures drop below 45F.

As a result the iguanas have seemed to fall from the sky, onto streets, cars, pools, or even people walking around.

Florida residents have even resorted to selling iguana meat on Facebook Marketplace after capturing the frozen reptiles.

Several ads selling skinned, butchered - and headless - iguanas, often nicknamed 'chicken of the trees', started springing up online overnight in Miami, Doral and Homestead.

One post advertises freshly prepped garrobo, a name often used in Latin America for iguana, for a steal at $1. The same seller also offers the skin-on variety for chefs who want a more hands-on approach with their food.

Others, however, were selling frozen iguana meat several days before the cold weather kicked in, suggesting this is far from a seasonal specialty for some.

Bemused residents took to social media to poke fun at the craze. “You know it’s cold when Facebook Marketplace got garrobo meat for sale #BecauseMiami #ChickenOfTheTrees,” one person tweeted.

The supply of the unusual meal choice comes just hours after states across the Southern and Eastern United States were told to brace themselves for freezing temperatures with icy winds, frost, snow and iguanas falling from trees.

“This isn’t something we usually forecast, but don’t be surprised if you see iguanas falling from the trees tonight as lows drop into the 30s and 40s. Brrrr!” NWS Miami tweeted.

The low temperatures stun the invasive reptiles, but the iguanas won’t necessarily die. That means many will wake up as temperatures rise.

Female iguanas can lay nearly 80 eggs a year, and South Florida’s warm climate is perfect for the prehistoric-looking animals. Iguanas are native to Central America, tropical parts of South America and some Caribbean islands.

Iguanas can be kept as pets in Florida but are not protected by any law except anti-cruelty to animals. They’ve been in South Florida since the 1960s, but their numbers have increased dramatically in recent years.