Miami is home to native plants and a handful of former ‘pets’ released into the wild… some of which look absolutely prehistoric… Bearded dragons, Iguanas, Boa Constrictors …
Nine years ago, along the waterway/canal on Red Road, our family literally stumbled across a bearded dragon, living and roaming free in Pinecrest… It looked like a candidate for Jurassic Park. It was the size of a bulldog. Magical… seeing something like that at the side of the road… living free in our neighborhood. I’ve kept my eyes peeled ever since, hoping to see it again.
The cold weather in Miami these past few weeks has affected our wildlife. Lizards and iguanas are literally dropping from trees (stunned and half-frozen… the low temperatures killing them). A number of our neighbors rescued the near frozen ‘wildlife’, bringing them into their homes (and keeping them warm… in boxes or pet carriers … hoping to keep them from freezing).
This morning was full of surprises! Besides the fact that it finally FEELS like Florida again here today… we saw this creature: Semi-prehistoric (or so it seemed to me)…The iguana we captured on camera here (measuring a scant 2.5 feet)…was a lot smaller than the bearded dragon we’d seem nine years ago… but seeing wildlife anywhere is a treat… especially after the bitter cold put them at risk… Miami’s Green Iguana.
An almost SURE spot for iguana sightings is Miami’s Fairchild Botanic Tropical Gardens. Another great place to explore and see wildlife in South Florida is in the Everglades National Park … iguana, alligator, snakes, birds… an occasional boa constrictor…or a fox. Miami … We are full of surprises!
