Frozen Iguanas Falling in Frederick

As temperatures dip for the first time this autumn, Frederick residents are learning to dodge falling iguanas. The invasive lizards that made it to northern Maryland this year get cold-stunned by the chilly temps.

Temperatures have fallen into the 40s, sending the reptiles into shock and causing them to lose their grip on trees. The situation has caused so much alarm that the Maryland Weather Service issued a warning.

“When temperatures go down that low, their body literally shuts down,” meteorologist Randall Boggs said. “They get into a coma-like condition.”

Iguanas, which can grow up to 6 feet in length, invaded Florida decades ago and have been moving north ever since. Global warming kept harsh winters at bay the past few years, allowing invasive iguanas to inhabit the mid-Atlantic region starting in 2021.

Some people collect iguanas in their cold-stunned states to warm them up, but experts say that’s not the best course action. The reptiles can bite when frightened.

With temperatures on the rise again, Boggs says it may be another few weeks before iguanas start falling in Montgomery County and other areas south of Frederick.

“It’s just during the transition into late autumn that we see falling lizards,” Boggs said. “In winter iguanas hide underground or in a tree hole and enter a state of hibernation. In the spring they come out with their 50-60 hatchlings.”