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Everglades Wonder Gardens Reptile Ambassador Stolen

Hera, an albino red-tailed boa constrictor (Boa constrictor) and the animal ambassador at Everglades Wonder Gardens in Florida was stolen, along with

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Hera, an albino red-tailed boa constrictor (Boa constrictor) and the animal ambassador at Everglades Wonder Gardens in Florida was stolen, along with five other reptiles this week. The botanical garden and rescued animal attraction also lost a ball python (Python regius) , another red-tailed boa and two Russian tortoises (Agrionemys horsfieldii ) to the June 16 theft.

“Help us find Hera our animal ambassador. $1,000 REWARD to help the police find her and the other missing animals, the zoo wrote on its Facebook page. “You can contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 239-447-1000, if you know someone that might of been involved or if you saw anything Tuesday night. Thank you so much, the animal care team and the whole Wonder Gardens family are very upset over this violation.”

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Hera is the resident animal ambassador at the Wonder Gardens. It has been her home for many years and it is hard to put a price tag on the reptile, Thomas Hecker, caretaker at the zoo told Wink News.

“Staff is pretty upset because they love and care for these animals seven days a week,” Hecker said. “Hera especially because she’s been here longer than any of us, and she was our animal ambassador that we took everywhere.”

The Everglades Wonder Gardens has been closed due to COVID-19. Again, if you have any information regarding the theft of these reptiles, there is a $1,000 reward. Contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 239-447-1000.