Bournemouth’s latest attraction is male and 3’ long

After months of preparation, the Oceanarium in Bournemouth welcomed its newest resident.

Ziggy, a two year old, three feet long male iguana, arrived at the seafront attraction having been rescued by the RSPCA, after its owner, who was struggling to care for the pet, threatened to release him and another male iguana into the wild.

Currently settling into a specially built open display, Ziggy’s rescue is set to feature in a documentary series about the work of the RSPCA, which will air on Sky later this year.

Sarah Flooks, Aquatic Supervisor at the Oceanarium, Bournemouth, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide a home for Ziggy and have worked hard to custom build a display that caters for the creature’s needs.”

Animal Welfare Officer for the RSPCA, Jo Blackburn, added: “Iguanas can grow up to six feet in length and can often be very aggressive and territorial. For these reasons many owners who keep the creatures as pets, release them into the wild. This is something we condone and regularly have to rescue and find new homes for a number of the species.

“Ziggy’s arrival at the Oceanarium is the final chapter in the journey of his rescue. It’s great to see him settle in to his new home - they don’t get much better than this.”