If you're bored with cats and dogs as pets, a black lizard-like warty newt might be right up your street.
You'll find them - and a host of other scaly critters - crawling around at the 2nd Hong Kong International Reptile Expo in Kowloon Bay.
This type of warty newt, or the Echinotriton chinhaiensis to give it its proper name, is being given star billing at the expo.
The precious species of newt, described as a 'living fossil' by veteran Hong Kong reptile expert K. K. Kwok , has existed for 15 million years. But there are only 100 left in the world and three, which belong to a local reptile keeper, are making their debut at the expo.
'The Echinotriton chinhaiensis are even fewer in number in the world than pandas and they are listed as a protected species by the Chinese government. They are all kept for research and breeding purposes,' Kwok said.
The warty newt can live up to 18 years, but its slow evolutionary development and body movements make it difficult for it to survive and reproduce in the natural environment, he said.
Lizards are another highlight of the expo, with several mutated species on show. One is a blue iguana, mutated from a green variety.