A controversial event is coming to the Charlotte region this weekend – Repticon 2020.
Repticon 2020 will take place in Concord on July 11th and 12th and will feature all varieties of snakes, lizards, and spiders from around the world. The show will offer live demonstrations and informative sessions about the biology and behavior of cold-blooded creatures.
The show will feature exhibits from; AHP Exotics, All American Gutter ProtectionAsheville Wildside, Atypicalpets, Blackburn Exotics, Carolina Crested Creations, Carter Reptiles, Cinderella Dragons, Cold Blooded & Bizarre, Invert and Spider Shop, Davinci boa, Exotics Unlimted, FrogDaddy LLC, Gecko Junkie, Gecko Overload, LS Critters and Creations, Reptile Passions, Reptile Tubs, Reptiles2You, Scaled Up Exotics, Serpentine Exotics, Shore Thing Exotics, Slither Inc., Soul Frogs, Stones Custom Reptile Hides, T & B Reptile Zone Aquatic Outlet, Taking Up Serpents, and The Reptilian Complex.
Repticon 2020 is not without controversy, however, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, the World Animal Protection sent a letter to Repticon asking them to call off the event. Ben Williamson, US programs director, commented; ‘It’s inconceivable that when many states are still seeing increases in the number of Covid-19 cases, Repticon in North Carolina would consider playing host to a live wild animal market. While Covid-19 is believed to have started many thousands of miles away in Wuhan, China, the conditions of live animals being confined together in close proximity to humans are remarkably similar to those we’ve investigated at US reptile markets such as Repticon.
For more information about this year’s Repticon, you can visit their website here.