Do iguanas really “rain” from trees in Florida?
Yes.
When temperatures get cold enough in Florida, iguanas can freeze up and fall out of trees.
But they’re not dead –– they enter a temporary state of paralysis as the cold weather causes their muscles to stop functioning.
Iguanas are attracted to the state’s warmer climate and are most commonly found in South Florida, not the Tampa Bay or Suncoast area. When temperatures drop into the 40s or colder, the reptile can lose its grip while in trees and fall to the ground.
Experts say it’s best to leave them alone if you find one on the ground. While it can be tempting to see an immobile animal and seek help, the process is completely normal, and the iguana will regain its strength once warm.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
— Clinton Engelberger
Is over 60% of Florida under conservation or used for agriculture?
No.
About 47% of Florida’s 36 million acres is devoted to agriculture or natural conservation, according to a 2024 University of Florida study.
In a Nov. 10 Substack article by Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, he wrote that more than 60% of Florida is under conservation or utilized for agriculture. Kruse made this claim to prove that Florida isn’t being over-developed, and opponents of development are leaning on incorrect information.
When asked where he found his data, Kruse told Suncoast Searchlight that “he couldn’t find a specific data point” and “it was just an attempt to show it the best I could as a quick stat point.”
Despite Kruse’s unchecked stats, Florida does place well in agricultural rankings. It ranked first in the nation, according to the USDA, production for sugarcane, floriculture and watermelons in 2023, and ranked 13th in cattle production, per the Florida Beef Council.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
— Clinton Engelberger
This story was originally published by Suncoast Searchlight, a nonprofit newsroom delivering investigative journalism to Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. Learn more at suncoastsearchlight.org.
