Species Spotlight

BEST WISHES, TEDDY!

If you have visited Orlando Science Center in the past 9 years, you may have met our resident Argentine black and white tegu, Teddy. Teddy has been a beloved part of NatureWorks since his arrival in 2012 and he is now embarking on a new adventure! Teddy is settling into his new home at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, where he will help educate visitors on the challenges of exotic pet ownership and the environmental consequences of invasive species.

As we are preparing to transform our NatureWorks area into a completely new experience called LIFE, which will focus on nature and conservation in an immersive way, we are strategically planning for the future. This means finding the best homes for some of our animals. Many of our existing spaces will be removed or remodeled to accommodate LIFE. In the case of Teddy the Tegu, Busch Gardens was looking to adopt a lizard for their conservation education efforts. We were happy to take advantage of this opportunity to move Teddy to an institution where he will receive excellent care!

Orlando Science Center has a Responsible Population Management plan to ensure that our animals are only relocated to facilities with the highest standards of animal care. These standards include providing quality nutrition, enrichment, living spaces, and veterinary care. As an Association of Zoos & Aquariums accredited facility, Busch Gardens fit the bill.

We are grateful to have cared for Teddy the Tegu these past nine years and hope you will join us in wishing him the best of luck on his next adventure.