Three weeks of rioting in Paris, France have caused unknown damage to the hundreds of pet iguanas cherished by the city residents. Several pet shops in the 4th arrondissement are said to have been destroyed, although the type of animals is yet unknown.
Presumably they are a mix of many species—guinea pigs, tortoises, various fowl. Undoubtedly some iguanas were in the mix and by now have found their way to the Left Bank, or have hitched a ride up the Seine in one of those “mouche” boats.
It’s all reminiscent of the Paris Commune in 1871, when some of the zoo animals escaped, and others were eaten.
Yellow-jacketed rioters have also been seen in the Bastille district, near the popular and stylish Iguana Café (see picture).
