Bangkok Pet Expo 2015: Cute & exotic pets (photos, video)

03 มิถุนายน 2558

From hawks to giant owls, from hyperactive meercats to midget ponies, from giant lizards addicted to cuddling with strangers to ball pythons flaunted as a luxury fashion statement, there were lots of animals to see, pet and take photos of.

From hawks to giant owls, from hyperactive meercats to midget ponies, from giant lizards addicted to cuddling with strangers to ball pythons flaunted as a luxury fashion statement, there were lots of animals to see, pet and take photos of.

ANIMALS

Bangkok Pet Expo 2015: Strange & exotic pets

The Bangkok Pet Expo last weekend featured a wide variety of strange and exotic animals the likes of which most people will only see on Facebook or in books.

From hawks to giant owls, from hyperactive meercats to midget ponies, from giant lizards addicted to cuddling with strangers to ball pythons flaunted as a luxury fashion accessory, there were lots of animals to see, pet and take photos of.

Add to that all the wonderful cats and dogs brought to the expo by their owners, and it was well worth the amazing 20 baht entrance fee.

In what has become perhaps the most celebrated incident during the expo, one teen girl proudly walked her pet lizard around the expo with a cute fashionable purple strap tied around its neck to keep the lizard from running away.

The lizard was later identified as a Savannah lizard, native to Africa.

In Africa, the lizard is hunted for export and is said to be sold as a pet or even for its leather and meat.

But before the species of the lizard was identified, it caused quite a stir on social media.

Some people mistook the lizard as the notorious "Hia" lizard (more politely known as "Tua Ngern Tua Tong" or "monitor lizard" in English).

Tua Ngern Tua Tong are found many places in Bangkok, such as walking along the side of Klong Toei's canal or in the lake at Lumpini Park where they loiter near the edge of the lake in hope of finding some food, occasionally sending people sitting on the grass having a picnic running, when they slither up onto the grass.

Identified as the notorious Hia, the girl's lizard quickly went viral.

Wildlife experts added their expert observations too.

Monitor lizards are a protected species and technically illegal to keep as pets so you better get permission first, noted Adisorn Nuchnamrong of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation during his interview with Thai PBS.