By SHINYA MINAMISHIMA/ Staff Writer
November 28, 2023 at 18:01 JST
A zoo in Shizuoka Prefecture unexpectedly received a lizard on Nov. 13, apparently sent from its owner who abandoned it. (Provided by iZoo)
SHIZUOKA--A zoo operator here received an unexpected parcel containing an abandoned reptile, barely alive after being sent in the mail, sparking an outcry against irresponsible pet owners.
The suspicious package was delivered to the office of Rep Japan Ltd., which operates iZoo in Kawazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Nov. 13. The shipping label on the cardboard box listed the contents as a “lamp.”
Upon opening the package, the zoo staff were shocked to discover that the “lamp” was a spiny-tailed monitor lizard, also known as a ridge-tailed monitor.
The sender’s name and address on the shipping label were fake, leading the staff to suspect that the lizard had been sent by its owner, who wished to abandon it.
“Never ever do this,” said Tsuyoshi Shirawa, the manager of iZoo, on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The zoo exhibits more than 350 species of reptiles and amphibians.
Monitor lizards are poikilotherms, meaning they can’t regulate their body temperature. When the reptile was discovered, it was very weak and vulnerable from exposure to cold temperatures during shipment.
The 25-centimeter juvenile lizard also had a medical problem with its left eye.
Shirawa’s post received many sympathetic comments condemning the irresponsible reptile's owner.
Spiny-tailed monitors are popular as pets since they grow to a maximum of about 60 centimeters, making them relatively easy to care for.
The zoo reported the incident to police, who asked the facility to provide temporary care and shelter for the lizard.
While iZoo rescues and provides a new home for unwanted reptiles, its staff urges owners to contact them beforehand and not to abandon their pets there without prior notice.
Owners are also required to bring their pets to the zoo in person, not by delivery services, as a show of responsibility.
Every day, the zoo receives pets such as turtles and lizards.
“Contact us first, and we’ll do our best to help unwanted pets,” Shirawa said. “They shouldn’t be let loose or abandoned.”
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