POLICE are hunting for a young couple who daringly stole two animals, a Chinese crocodile lizard and a tiger salamander, from Pata Zoo in broad daylight on May Day, TV Channel 7 said today (May 7).
The zoo released a sketch of the thieves on Facebook and described them as being approximately 25-30 years old with the woman having short hair and wore glasses while the man had a middle-parted hairstyle. They had jackets tied around their waists and were carrying blue backpacks. Upon arrival at the zoo at 10.40 a.m., staff asked them to leave a baby squirrel monkey placed in one of the backpacks at the ticket counter before entering.
At 11.06 a.m.. despite the large number of tourists and comprehensive CCTV coverage, the perpetrators skillfully pried open two exotic animal enclosures with their bare hands, as if familiar with this type of enclosure. They then grabbed and placed the two animals in one of the backpacks before leaving the zoo, stopping to pick up their baby squirrel monkey from the staff.
The zoo’s post emphasised that while the animals may not be particularly expensive, the staff took good care of them and love all animals in the zoo.
Aside from filing a report at Bang Yi Khan police station, the zoo released a sketch of the suspects based on surveillance camera clips.
Chinese crocodile lizard
The Chinese crocodile lizard gets its name from the two rows of scales running along its tail, which resemble those of a crocodile. The species was first discovered in China in 1930 and was long believed to live only there. However, in 2003 small populations were also found in Vietnam, Odense Zoo said.
The crocodile lizard is an endangered species facing a high risk of extinction. Fewer than 1,000 individuals are thought to remain in the wild, with only about 150 of these are living in Vietnam. The species is threatened mainly by illegal capture for the pet trade.
EAZA (the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) is part of a coordinated effort to protect the species in the wild, contributing through breeding programmes that aim to reintroduce crocodile lizards to their natural habitats.
Tiger salamander
Tiger salamanders are approximately six to eight inches (15 to 20 centimetres) long. These amphibians have dark gray, brown, or black bodies with brownish-yellow markings. In some subspecies, the yellow markings are large spots or stripes, while other subspecies have small yellow, irregularly shaped spots. For example, the barred tiger salamander of the lower Great Plains has large, elongated spots. The eastern tiger salamander has small spots. Some individuals might have no spots at all, the National Wildlife Federation said.
Tiger salamanders can be difficult to spot because of their secretive nature and ability to spend long periods of time burrowed underground -in fact, they spend most of the year below the surface, which allows them to escape high temperatures. But after heavy rains, tiger salamanders can be seen walking around on wet ground. Their predators include badgers, snakes, bobcats, and owls.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page – A sketch of the young couple who stole two animals from Pata Zoo. Image – Pata Zoo Facebook
First insert – A Chinese crocodile lizard. Photo – Odense Zoo
Second insert – A tiger salamander. Photo – The National Wildlife Federation
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