OCEAN CITY — Red kangaroos, two-towed sloths, bearded dragons and other exotic animals will soon be seen around Ocean City after resort officials approved a special permit request to exhibit non-domesticated animals in certain places under certain conditions.
The Mayor and Council had before them last Monday a special permit request from the Barn Hill Preserve in Delaware to allow for the exhibition of exotic animals as a visitor attraction at certain businesses and other special events. Town officials passed an ordinance years ago making it unlawful to harbor certain exotic animals within city limits including, for example, snakes and alligators, without a special permit largely from a public safety aspect and the safety of first-responders that might report to an incident.
Since 2017, the Mayor and Council have approved the special permit request for Barn Hill to exhibit exotic non-domesticated animals at some businesses and other special events. Barn Hill’s list of exotic animals is extensive, but includes such creatures as red kangaroos, Eurasian lynx kittens, bearded dragons, hedgehogs, armadillos and blue-tongue skinks, for example.
The animals would be brought into the resort for display at certain businesses partnering with Barn Hill and returned to the preserve in Delaware after the shows, according to a letter to the Mayor and Council from Barn Hill Preserve President Joshua Mueller.
“Barn Hill Preserve’s employees have extensive training and experience with all of the animals that are shown to the public,” the letter reads. “When we visit a business, we will be bringing two to three animals at a time.”
bearded dragons exotic? idiots! what else is new from the clown show called oc?
Hope they don’t do what Florida did years ago with all the exotic snakes that were turned loose by owners and have totally invaded Florida waters and they have taken over lakes, rivers and all waters killing natural wildlife and they can’t even eradicate them they multiply so fast. Have friends who live there before they take a dip in their pull have to clean out filters so many baby snakes and check the water, garages and sheds daily.