Look after lizards - zoo plea to thieves

Hamilton Zoo staff have appealed to the thieves who stole several lizards nearly a fortnight ago to look after them.

Thieves broke into the zoo earlier this month and took a pair of Madagascan day geckos and two bearded dragons.

The day geckos were recovered a week ago but there has been no sign of the bearded dragons.

Zoo director Stephen Standley said the bearded dragons were not fragile but needed to be looked after by someone with a knowledge of reptiles.

He said they needed to be fed live insects at least three times a week and because they were cold-blooded reptiles, should be kept in a warm environment.

"They rely on the surrounding temperatures to warm up.

"They can be kept outside over here in the summer but they don't do as well if you try to keep them out all year round."

He appealed to the thieves to return them or look after them.

The bearded dragons were on loan from a private collector and could bring up to $500 each.

Mr Standley said security at the zoo was being increased.

- NZPA