Rare Reptile Found on Loading Dock at Ford Plant
Surprise shipment finds it’s way to the Detroit Zoo!
ROYAL OAK, Mich., August 25, 2010 – A rare reptile, believed to be a stowaway in a shipment of auto parts from Mexico, has found a new home at the Detroit Zoo. A Yucatan spiny-tailed iguana was spotted scurrying across the loading dock at the Ford Motor Company’s Van Dyke Transmission Plant on July 29. The reptile can only be found in a 1,200-square-mile range of the Yucatan Peninsula.
After discovering the surprise visitor, a safety engineer at the Ford plant called Sterling Heights Animal Control, who helped relocate the iguana to a temporary home at the Sterling Heights Nature Center. The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) was contacted the next day and was asked to provide the fugitive reptile with a permanent home.
The DZS is frequently asked to help with the rescue of exotic animals from private owners, pseudo-sanctuaries, circuses and roadside zoos. “This is a unique and rare rescue situation. This particular species is from a localized area in Mexico and it’s uncommon to see them in zoos,” said Curator of Reptiles Jeff Jundt.
The Yucatan spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura defensor) is one of the smallest iguana species, only growing up to a foot long. Its body sports a variety of colors, including a black chest with white spots, gray tail with a blue tint and a red lower back. The species sometimes uses its tail, covered with spiny scales, for defense by lashing it back and forth.
The iguana, an adult male, is currently in quarantine to make certain it is healthy before joining the Detroit Zoo’s black iguana in the fall at the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles.
The last year has seen tremendous changes in the automobile business and difficult times for many car companies. But the 
“I’m really proud to be a Ford dealer. Under the guidance of Chairman Alan Mulally, the company has not only secured financial stability, it has continued to maintain and improve overall quality and bring forward great new models. We have perhaps the best model lineup of any company right now with award winning passenger cars, SUVs and trucks that meet customer needs. At Steve Marshall Ford, we did notice a slowdown earlier in the year but we have such a loyal owner base that we weathered the worst of it. We are seeing many more positives now. In fact I have to hire more 
The 
Ann Marie is the third generation of Marshalls in the car business. She grew up in her father Steve’s dealership, in 
In what is essentially a man’s business, Ann Marie is the exception to the rule and as the only woman Dealer Principal in Nanaimo, she brings a unique perspective to the business. “Quite early on I realized the car business 
“Buying a car, having it serviced or repaired are stressful moments in a person’s life. But they don’t have to be. The whole team here is committed to making people feel comfortable whatever their needs are. It’s all about fairness and respect. It’s about treating every customer the way you would want to be treated. After all we don’t want to sell you a car. We want to sell you one today, but then we want to sell your sons and daughters, your friends and your neighbours. And if we treat you well, what goes around comes around.”
