theTegu.com - Tegu information, photo gallery, forums, caresheets, diet & nutritional info, taming tips and more for the argentine black and white tegu, argentine red tegu, blue tegu, colombian black tegu and the colombian gold-phased black tegu. Tupinambis merianea, teguixin & rufescens.
LAS CRUCES — Gloria was stabbed in the neck during a home invasion late Sunday.
Now, those closest to her hope she will survive and return to her job educating area children about reptiles. Her survival is more than her caretaker expected after he found her — and several of her housemates — bleeding, wounded or dead Monday morning. Many of her companions weren't so lucky. At last count, there are at least five dead and a dozen missing — many of them just babies.
When Doña Ana County Sheriff's officers found Gloria, a 10-foot-long albino Burmese python who has served as the poster-python for Las Cruces Reptile Rescue for the past three years, they thought she was a goner.
When she began to show signs of life, it provided a bright spot in what was otherwise a dismal day for the shelter program's director.
"She's my baby," said Mike Daniels, director of the reptile rescue program. "She's like one of my kids. It was just a huge sigh of relief when she was alive. When I went in, she was covered in blood."
Daniels' home, where several rescued reptiles were housed, was burglarized and vandalized sometime between 8 p.m. Sunday and around 9 a.m. Monday, when he arrived home after working his shift as a Las Cruces firefighter, he said.
Several reptiles were killed, including one reticulated python, two gray-banded king snakes, a bearded dragon (an Australian lizard) and a round-tail horned lizard. Other animals were missing, including two baby Burmese pythons, six corn snakes and five milk snakes.
The animals, most of which have been rescued by the organization, were the apparent target of the attack, Daniels said. Several were killed, others wounded, and their container cages were smashed. During the break-in, Daniels also lost a mountain bike, several DVD's and a digital camera in addition to having his home trashed.
"This is just ridiculous," said former rescue director Roy Thibodeau as he stood outside Daniels' home, nestled in the Organ foothills near N.M. Highway 70. "We poured our heart and soul into this for six years. Now, to have someone come in and do this, we're just devastated."
After finding the destruction, Daniels spent the better part of Monday afternoon packing up his belongings and looking for a place to stay for the next few days. The haven he and his reptiles called home will be boarded up, abandoned, no longer a place of safe refuge, he said.
It's just another episode in what neighbor Cecilia Belmontez characterized as increasing activity by unsupervised teenagers roaming the neighborhood.
"There's no discipline," she said. "There are times I stop kids, ask them what they are doing, and they say, It's none of your business.' I say, Hell yes it's my business.' This is my community."
Belmontez said there has been a recent spike in graffiti in the neighborhood, and a growing reluctance among the older residents to speak out for fear of retaliation.
Robin Gojkovich, the sheriff's department investigator in charge of the crime scene, said officers were able to lift "several" fingerprints that they will compare to databases in hopes of catching the criminals. Other evidence was collected at the scene that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of the culprits, she said.
When caught, the offenders face charges of conspiracy to commit residential burglary, residential burglary, criminal damage to property greater than $1,000 and larceny. Those are just the first charges that may be filed, Gojkovich said. She is consulting with the district attorney's office and federal officials to see if additional charges may be leveled.
In addition, state officials may pursue criminal and civil damages against the criminals because two of the animals killed are listed on the state endangered species register.
Under the state wildlife conservation act, those found guilty of the crime could face up to $1,000 fine and six months in jail for each of the two endangered animals killed.
Additionally, they could be sued in civil court for their actions, up to another $1,000.
Meanwhile, Daniels plans to continue his work to rescue reptiles and educate the public about their important role in the ecosystem while he hopes for Gloria's recovery.
"She was suffering all night long," he said. "But they didn't crush her skull. She's alive. We'll start anew."
If you have any information about this break-in, please call the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office at 525-1911.
Get involved
Donations of time, supplies or financial support to help Las Cruces Reptile Rescue can be made by calling the program director, Mike Daniels, at 312-3208 or former director Roy Thibodeau at 496-8111
On the Net
Learn more about Las Cruces Reptile Rescue at www.awesomereptiles.com _________________ Yours,
NiColeRuSSell
"I'm gonna do what I should've done in the first place. I'll find her, wherever she is, tie her up, torture her... until she likes me again."
-Spike
You know, I've read through this post several times and haven't commented because I just don't know what to say. It's horrible. It's a tragedy. I think the punishment they face is too light. I honestly can't say on a forum what I'd like to see happen to these culprits because it is, by no means, polite. _________________ Kris, Herps they're not just a hobby, they're a way of life!
I agree totally...I mean you can make excuses about teenagers when they steal cars --try drinking--skip school---all that an be a phase....but hurting a defenseless caged animal is something they should be tried as a adult for.
If I came home to something like that I would never ever get over it _________________ Yours,
NiColeRuSSell
"I'm gonna do what I should've done in the first place. I'll find her, wherever she is, tie her up, torture her... until she likes me again."
-Spike
That's beyond ridiuculous. Cold hearted. You know I think that can be his fuel for continuing his reptile education to the kids. If they are exposed to reptiles and wildlife in a positive way then maybe as they get older they will have more respect for these wonderful creatures. Youth these days is not really getting better. It is our duty to help raise awareness in any way we can...even if it's small. I hope that whoever did this disgusting act will get caught and prosecuted. I would be devasted if I came home to find all my babies dead. _________________ 1.0.0 american pit bull terrier
1.0.0 arg. b/w tegu
0.1.0 crested gecko
1.0.0 white's tree frogs
0.1.0 southern painted turtle
0.1.0 albino african clawed frog
2.1.0 het pieds
R.I.P. Steve Irwin : my rolemodel
I do reptile education and come across alot of kids who do not like reptiles. Sometimes they change their minds at the end and sometimes not. None of them had the desire to savagely kill them though.
I think that basically tells the world someone has mental problems that run well beyond love or hate of reptiles....
I have been reading this story on many site lately and it never gets any easier to read _________________ Yours,
NiColeRuSSell
"I'm gonna do what I should've done in the first place. I'll find her, wherever she is, tie her up, torture her... until she likes me again."
-Spike
Cruces Police Seek Snake Slasher
Cruces Police Seek Snake Slasher
(3:41 p.m.)
El Paso Times staff report
Las Cruces police are looking for suspects in an aggravated burglary that left several snakes and lizards dead.
On Sept. 11, the Dona Ana Sheriffs Department responded to an aggravated burglary call in the 5200 block of Isaacs Lane, sheriff's officials said. They learned that between Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, the residence had been broken into and property had been stolen. The owner of the residence is also the director of the Reptile Rescue. During the course of the burglary, several snakes and lizards were stabbed and killed by the suspect or suspects and several more were stolen or are missing.
Las Cruces Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of $1000 for information that leads to the arrest of the person or persons involved in an aggravated burglary. There is additional reward money being offered by the home owner and The Humane Society for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects.
If you have any information regarding this crime or any other crimes, you can call Las Cruces Crime Stoppers at 526-8000 or outside the Las Cruces area at (800) 897-2746. The Crime Stoppers number is operational 24 hours a day and you do not have to give your name to collect a reward. _________________ Yours,
NiColeRuSSell
"I'm gonna do what I should've done in the first place. I'll find her, wherever she is, tie her up, torture her... until she likes me again."
-Spike
Joined: Nov 24, 2005 Posts: 78 Location: Pennsylvania
Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:29 am Post subject:
on an EXTREMELY much lighter note this is a VERY weird news story........
BRISBANE, Australia - An Australian man who says "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin shaped his love for reptiles said Tuesday he plans to feed the placenta from his newborn son to his pet goannas to bring the family closer to lizards.
Wil Kemp, a reptile keeper at Rockhampton Zoo in northeastern Queensland state, said his second son was born on Sept. 5, the day after Irwin was killed by a stingray attack while filming on the Great Barrier Reef.
Kemp and his fiance Kahila Pepper gave the boy the first and second names Tai and Irwin - the former after the taipan snake and the latter after the television star and conservationist.
Kemp said the couple planned to feed the placenta to their three pet goannas, which live in pits in the family's backyard, after a homecoming gathering on Sunday.
"I think we'll just break some beers, chuck it in and do it," said Kemp, 21.
The couple came up with the idea after nurses told them they could take the placenta - the organ that grows in the womb to be the interface for nutrients and blood between mother and fetus that comes out during childbirth - home if they wished.[/i]
That is just too funny! _________________ 1.0.0 Columbian Tegu (Daggit)
1.0.0 Motley Corn Snake(Indie)
0.1.0 Rottweiler/ Doberman mix (Macey)
0.1.0 Cat (Annie)
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Login
