Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) says it is concerned about what it describes as an “unprecedented rise” in exotic animals being held by persons locally, this after the operation of a mobile zoo with exotic species was on display to the general public.
“Evidence of the zoo’s operation is being circulated on social media,” said NEPA in a release on Friday.
Social media was abuzz last week following the circulation of a video showing an Argentine black and white tegu, and several persons questioned how the lizard got into Jamaica.
The owner of the tegu, who identified himself as Oryane from Eastern Exotic Pets, said one of his employees made a walk with the pet that garnered public attention.
The man said the pet was not “an aggressive reptile”, and is “not an escapee”.
He also admitted to owning the mobile pet zoo.
Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency said on Friday that it is probing the circumstances surrounding the mobile zoo’s operations, as it suspects that the animals may have been imported illegally.
