Miami Yoga Class Crashed by Huge Falling Iguana.
It was a beautiful Saturday morning in Miami's Upper Eastside neighborhood. The regulars of Anamargret Sanchez's free community yoga class were ready to breathe, stretch, and find inner peace under the oak trees. However, an unexpected guest – a 20-30 pound iguana - interrupted the class.
Miami Class:
As the class progressed through the usual poses, Sanchez instructed the yogis to roll onto their backs and prepare for the final resting pose. But as they closed their eyes and focused on their breathing, a series of noises – tree branches rustling, a loud thud, and gasps from the crowd – suddenly filled the air. Sanchez quickly realized something was wrong and instructed the class to close.
One of the participants, Michael, was the unfortunate victim of the iguana attack. Feeling relaxed on his back with his shade hat covering his face, preparing for the final resting pose. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain and was unable to open his eyes. He initially thought it was a coconut that hit him! However, there were no coconut trees nearby. He then thought maybe the guy next to him slugged him, but why would he do that in a peaceful yoga class? Later, other yogis informed him that an iguana fell on him from a branch 25 feet off the ground.
Falling iguana:
According to the Miami New Times, witnesses said the iguana had been dueling with an even larger iguana on the branch. It may have lost its footing or someone may have pushed it and it fell onto Michael's face. Sanchez, who has been teaching yoga in the park for 14 years, even mentioned that there is a giant iguana that rules the park, who he have seen chasing squirrels before.
Michael was lucky to have paramedics at a nearby farmer's market. They were able to check on him and assure that he would be fine. He declined emergency transport to the hospital and was driven home by his wife.
Michael will now forever be known as the yoga guy whose face was used as an iguana landing pad. That will make for a funny story to tell in the future! Hopefully, next time, the iguana will stay in his tree and not interrupt any more yoga classes. Namaste.
Watch Out For Falling Iguanas This Weekend In SWFL
Watch out for falling iguanas this weekend in SWFL!
With low's in the high 30's, this Christmas will be the coldest in SWFL since the mid 90's. While we won't see falling snow, we could see falling iguanas!
It's always funny when talking to friends in cold weather states about falling iguanas. I told my friend Brittany, who lives in Wisconsin, that we'll see falling iguanas this weekend, and I don't think she took me too seriously. But it's actually a very common sight at this time of year. That’s right, when temperatures dip below 40 degrees, these reptiles literally fall out of their treetop homes. But why is this happening? Let’s explore the fascinating reality of iguanas and cold weather.
What Causes Iguana Hypothermia?
When temperatures drop below 40 degrees, iguanas experience what is known as “cold-stunned hypothermia.” This occurs when an animal can no longer regulate its own body temperature and becomes lethargic—in extreme cases, comatose. To combat the cold, iguanas slow down their heart rate and metabolism. This helps them conserve energy which allows them to survive freezing temperatures for extended periods of time without food or water. However, if the temperature falls too low or stays too low for too long, then they become unable to keep warm on their own and can become so lethargic that they literally drop out of trees and appear dead.
The natural instinct for most people is to take such a seemingly lifeless creature indoors and warm it up with a heating pad or blankets. But this isn't necessarily the best option—in fact, it could be deadly! When these creatures are taken indoors, chances are they won't survive due to shock or organ failure caused by rapid warming.
So what should you do if you encounter one? If possible, move them into the sun until temperatures rise above 50 degrees; if not possible, cover lightly with newspaper or cloth.
