Buttonwood park zoo in Massachusetts, USA has a welcomed a new resident in the form of a red tegu. She was found wandering the streets of Falmouth when local animal care and control staff picked her up.
The Falmouth Pet Centre picked her up and held her for a required period of time before offering her to the zoo. A number of the animals at the zoo are there as a result of being orphaned, injured or confiscated. They now play an important role in educating visitors using their stories.
Rosita has taken up residence in the zoo’s Aquatic Environment Centre where people can visit her. Some lucky visitors are able to meet her when she is out with the education staff. She will help to educate visitors about the threat of invasive species.
Red Tegu’s come from Argentina where they are found in tropical forests, flatlands and savannahs a far cry from the suburbs of Falmouth. They are regularly found as pets when they are young, small and “cute.” What most people don’t realise is they reach four feet long. This leads their owners to release them which can be detrimental to local wildlife populations.
Photo Credits: Buttonwood Park Zoo
