Black And White And Banned All Over* *Almost

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Black And White And Banned All Over* *Almost

By Elizabeth Friend,

Laura Pellicer, Charlie Shelton-Ormond

Published July 26, 2022 at 5:27 AM EDT

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An illustration of a purple couch with big green leaves around it. On the couch are three giant lizards that have black and white patterns on them. The text on the illustration reads "Black And White And Banned All Over* *Almost."

Tegus are armed with a metabolic superpower and a powerful appetite for eggs, but they鈥檙e also easily domesticated, making them both beloved family pets and unwelcome hungry pests. Throughout the South, these giant lizards are raising eyebrows, breaking hearts and launching lawsuits.

Highlights from Repticon in Raleigh this spring:

Two lizards that are awake lie on top of two other lizards whose eyes are closed. They are in an enclosure with mulch on the bottom of it.

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Elizabeth Friend

A table covered with circular plastic containers filled with reptiles - one reptile per container.

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Elizabeth Friend

A man holds a lizard in his hand. The lizard is larger than his forearm.

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Elizabeth Friend

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Elizabeth Friend

A giant toad sits in an enclosure that has brown dirt on the bottom of it.

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Elizabeth Friend

An armadillo peers out from a small animal carrier.

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Elizabeth Friend

A table with bat bodies in glass frames for sale on it.

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Charlie Shelton-Ormond

Have you had a tegu encounter? We'd love to hear about it. Email podcasts@wunc.org.

This episode was produced by Charlie Shelton-Ormond. Matt Horton and Sean Roux mastered the audio.

Our thanks to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh.

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Elizabeth Friend

Elizabeth Friend grew up in North Carolina listening to public radio in the backseat of the family station wagon. She has been reporting and producing at 瓜神app since 2016, covering everything from Army history to armadillos. She's also the co-founder of the beloved summer event series Audio Under The Stars. In her spare time she enjoys exploring the outside world with her family, dabbling in esoteric crafts, and cheese.

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Laura Pellicer

Laura Pellicer is a digital reporter with 瓜神app鈥檚 small but intrepid digital news team.

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Charlie Shelton-Ormond

Charlie Shelton-Ormond is a podcast producer for 瓜神app.

See stories by Charlie Shelton-Ormond