Smuggled monitor lizards rehomed at Folly Farm (From Western Telegraph)

Smuggled monitor lizards rehomed at Folly Farm

5:20pm Saturday 6th March 2010 in

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A pair of giant lizards who literally travelled baggage class from Africa to the UK have found five-star accommodation in Pembrokeshire.

The scaly duo were among ten monitor lizards rescued while being smuggled, bent double, in three small suitcases.

They were found in a pitiful condition by customs officials at Heathrow Airport and now — fully restored to health — have a new home in the zoo at Folly Farm.

Zoo manager Tim Morphew and his team will be using the lizards to raise awareness of the illegal pet trade in talks to schools and colleges.

Tim said: “The illegal pet trade is a vast industry, and is doing irreparable damage to many rare species throughout the world.

“We can do our bit by raising awareness of the plight of these monitor lizards and their awful arrival to the UK, but we need the public to act by reporting the illegal transferring of animals, and by investigating the source of popular pets such as lizards and iguanas before they buy.”

The white-throated lizards had travelled 4,500 miles from Tanzania and were so malnourished they could not even support their own body weight.

They were nursed back to health by the specialist animal re-homing unit that works alongside Heathrow and other airports.

Through its membership of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (Biaza), Folly Farm offered to be a safe haven for two of the mistreated animals and they are now housed with fellow Africans, the giraffes, in a custom-built enclosure in the giraffe house.

And if anyone is considering a monitor lizard as a pet, Tim Morphew is urging research and caution.

He said: “These lizards may start life a few inches long, but they quickly grow to huge lengths and have a nasty bite.

“When they become too difficult to care for, they often end up abandoned or pushed on to a local zoo.”