(Reuters) – On Sunday, the U.S. National Weather Service Miami South Florida advised the public that immobilised iguanas might fall from trees because of unusually cold temperatures in the area.

Iguanas can be cold-blooded. The temperatures below the 40s (-4-9 Celsius) cause them to slow down and become more immobile. The service stated that they may lose their balance and fall off trees but are still alive.”

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), South Florida temperatures fell to 25° Fahrenheit Sunday morning. Highs are expected to stay in the 50s and low 60s on Sunday.

On Saturday, the Northeast suffered from a devastating winter storm. Several states declared emergencies and more than 1400 flights were cancelled.

Stacey Cohen (a Florida Zoo reptile expert) explained the iguana phenomena to WPBF.

Cohen explained that “their bodies start to shut down, where they lose all their functions” and they end up high in trees sleeping. When it gets colder they can’t hang on to the branches and eventually they will fall from the trees.

Though most reptiles will survive, Cohen warned that they could be endangered by freezing temperatures. In 2010, Cohen cited a severe cold snap that decimated large numbers of them.

According to her, cold can be life-threatening for these people because they’re from Central America and South America near the Equator. There it is always very warm.”

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, green iguanas do not belong in Florida. The invasive species was accidentally introduced to the state as stowaways on cargo ships. They weigh approximately 17 pounds (7.5 kg) and are over 5 feet (1.50m) long.

The iguanas were not the only animals that have been affected by this cold. After a severe snowstorm last week, hundreds of thousands of fish farms were left without power and they succumbed to thermal shock.