It's so cold in Florida right now that frozen iguanas are actually falling from trees. Yep, frozen iguanas. In Florida.
Credit: CBSDFW
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According to the National Weather Service in Miami, the temperature had dipped below 40°F (5°C) early on Thursday in some parts of southern Florida - something that's extremely unusual for the state.
So unusual, in fact, that the poor iguanas just can't hack it, and have been falling from their perches in trees. The strange weather has proven too much for the cold-blooded creatures, whose bodies have essentially just been shutting down when it gets too cold.
"They'll fall out of trees. They'll end up in areas where your cars are, parking lots, areas where they're cold stunned," said Emily Maple, the reptile keeper at the Palm Beach County Zoo, CBS12 reported.
"If it's just for a day or two they'll just get to where they're completely frozen in time," she continued. "They're still able to breathe. They're still able to do bodily functions just very slow."
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The weird frozen iguanas may look like they've kicked the bucket, but luckily it's not necessarily the end for them.
"Don't assume that they're dead," Kristen Sommers, who oversees the non-native fish and wildlife program for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said - adding that they're just 'too cold to move'.
If the temperature dips below 45 degrees for more than a couple of days, they'll often die, usually from pneumonia. However, there are ways to help them.
"Once it gets above 50 degrees they'll start to activate and move around," said Maple.
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"Put then over to the side if you feel comfortable to put them in the sun, or put them off the road so you're not running them over."
Iguanas aren't the only species feeling the cold, either.
The temperature in the Gulf of Mexico has dropped so dramatically that sea turtles have been cold-stunned, which has meant they've floated to the surface where predators can see them. According to the Caller Times, The National Park Service had to rescue 41 live, but freezing, turtles by midday on Tuesday.
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On Cape Cod in Massachusetts, meanwhile, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy has reported that three thresher sharks have been stranded, with two having probably suffered a 'cold shock' and the third simply frozen solid.
The Calgary Zoo in Canada also announced on Sunday that it was moving its king penguins inside because of cold temperatures - meaning even those used to freezing temperatures can't handle the chill.
Stay safe out there, little guys.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Weather, World News, News, Florida