At the time of the inspection, Sublett was not on site; only an employee was present to oversee the property. The employee directed the officers to a storage building where the reptiles are kept in temperature-controlled enclosures. The officers located a large, strikingly colored lizard in a side enclosure and believing it was the unregistered monitor removed it and euthanized it off-site.Sublett later informed the agency that the animal was not the Nile monitor, but a Blue Tree Monitor (Varanus macraei), a species considered one of the rarest and most valuable monitor lizards in captivity. The six-year-old female, named Azure, was confirmed by a veterinarian to have been gravid and close to laying eggs. Experts estimate Azure alone could have been worth up to $20,000, while the clutch of eggs she was carrying could have added another $30,000–$50,000, making the total loss potentially $50,000 or more. Only a handful of this species exist in captivity in the U.S., and breeding individuals are extremely limited, making the loss of Azure a significant blow to conservation and the exotic-animal community.
Twin Pine Farm & Exotics, led by Sheri Sublett, is a premier U.S. facility specializing in rare reptiles and elite captive breeding programs. Known for its expertise and dedication, the farm is recognized for working with some of the rarest and most sought-after exotic species in the country.
Sublett is also the owner of Twin Pine Farm & Exotics, one of the most sought-after exotic-animal trade companies in the United States, specializing in rare reptiles and high-end captive breeding programs. Losing Azure, she said, was not just the loss of a pet but a devastating setback to her breeding program and business. SCDNR spokesperson Cheyenne Twilley said the mistake appears to have resulted from the two species’ similar size and body shape, made more difficult because the enclosure labels had been removed during a recent cleaning. “This was a misidentification during a lawful inspection,” Twilley said. “We acknowledge the harm caused to Ms. Sublett, and the department is reviewing our internal protocols to ensure this does not happen again.” Sublett disputes that the officers ever asked to review her paperwork and said her employee repeatedly told them they had the wrong animal before it was taken. “They didn’t listen,” she said Monday. “She wasn’t aggressive. She wasn’t illegal. She was weeks from laying eggs I’d been waiting on for years. Losing Azure is like losing part of my life’s work, she was irreplaceable. There are fewer than a hundred of her species in U.S. collections, and her eggs represented tens of thousands of dollars and years of careful breeding.” SCDNR officials would not comment on potential disciplinary action but confirmed the incident is under internal review. Sublett said she is considering filing a claim for the loss of the animal and the rare breeding line attached to it. The case has fueled debate among reptile enthusiasts and lawmakers about whether the state needs more specialized training for officers tasked with identifying exotic species.
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