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Rescued Savannah Monitor Finds Home At Zoo Atlanta

The monitor lizard was one of more than 120 reptiles removed from a storage unit in Waukesha.

Savannah monitors are also known as Bosc's monitors and are native to sub-Saharan Africa and are a ground-dwelling species.

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A savannah monitor (Varanus exanthematicus) that was rescued in Wisconsin has found a home at Zoo Atlanta, where it will become an educational animal ambassador. The monitor lizard was one of more than 120 reptiles removed from a storage unit in Waukesha.

J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue, who worked with the reptile breeder who needed to give up his reptiles, is working to find homes for the other reptiles.

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“This is the ideal situation,” John Moyles of JRAAR said of the savannah monitor’s new home. “Going from a storage locker to Zoo Atlanta is a real Cinderella story.”

The rescue waives all adoption fees for accredited zoos and sanctuaries that take in rescues. JRAAR has spent more than $500 on veterinarian bills, supplies, food and maintenance on the monitor lizard, named Slash. The rescue also has a fundraiser set up on Facebook to help defray costs of caring for placing the animals it takes into its care.


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Savannah monitors are also known as Bosc’s monitors and are native to sub-Saharan Africa and are a ground-dwelling species. They are found in grasslands, savannahs and rocky outcrops. In the wild, they prey on arthropods and molluscs. They also eat millipedes, beetles, snails and other invertebrates. Snails make up a large part of their wild diet.