Dragons' Den Discovered In Scottish Park

Dragons' Den Discovered In Scottish Park

Two bearded dragon lizards have been rescued after they were found abandoned in a city park.

The reptiles were freezing cold and very thin when they were discovered by a member of the public on Tuesday on land near Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow.

They are now being cared for by the Scottish SPCA at the charity's Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre, where staff have called them Ant and Dec.

Scottish SPCA ambulance driver Jean MacKay said: "I arrived at the park to find two bearded dragons in a secluded corner. They were absolutely freezing cold and very thin.

"An elderly lady had spotted one of the dragons on Monday afternoon. When she returned early on Tuesday morning it was still there and had been joined by another, and that's when she called us.

"It's very lucky that this lady found Ant and Dec when she did as they would not have survived outdoors for much longer. Exotic creatures like bearded dragons require warm conditions to regulate their body temperature."

The latest rescue comes just over a week after a bearded dragon lizard was found abandoned in the toilets of a Morrisons supermarket in Edinburgh. It was taken in by the Scottish SPCA's Edinburgh and Lothians animal rescue and rehoming centre.

Bearded lizards are found in Australia and live in a variety of habitats from woods to arid scrubland.

Scottish SPCA chief inspector Fiona Greig said: "Keeping an exotic creature can be as expensive as keeping a dog, even more so when you consider the initial outlay for the animal itself and the set-up required including a large vivarium, heat lamp and UV light.

"Then you have the ongoing cost of electricity for 10-12 hours a day, fresh salad supplied daily and insects every two to three days plus veterinary treatment as required and insurance. This can add up to quite a considerable sum over time and with the recession it could be that some people are just finding them too expensive to care for in the long term."

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