On December 14 and 15, just days before the Christmas holidays, Plovdiv will once again host EXOTIC EXPO – the Bulgarian professional exhibition for exotic animals.

The event is being organized for the third consecutive year and is the largest of its kind in the Balkans. The organizers aim to showcase the achievements of local breeders and selectors of animal species that are not typically found in our latitudes.

During the weekend, the "S.I.L.A" complex will house under its roof giant snails, mini rabbits, parrots, turtles, geckos, tegus and central bearded dragon, alongside representatives of the animal kingdom that are far from harmless – predatory insects, falcons, venomous snakes, baby and giant pythons.

Admission is free, and visitors will not only have the chance to see the rich collection of exotic animals but also touch some of them. They will learn what a bioactive terrarium is, which animals are predators and whether venomous snakes can be non-venomous when kept at home.

The organizers have also taken care of plant enthusiasts. At one of the stands, selected cacti, succulents and other tropical plants grown in a Bulgarian private tissue laboratory will be exhibited. For the first time, the products of a Plovdiv-based bakery for pet treats will be presented. The bakery offers more than 140 different types of savory snacks, sweets, crackers, chips, muffins, chocolate candies and cakes, all made following a recipe by a veterinary nutritionist.

"We had 17,000 visitors at the previous two editions", said the event’s organizer – Dr. Kostadin Shankov. He is the chairman of Cynological Bulgarian Club, a veterinarian and a pet nutritionist. "The idea came accidentally because exotic animals are a hobby for me", says Dr. Shankov, adding:

"I managed to get in contact with professionals in this field, and together with them we created the first edition. We called it ''professional'' because it brings together almost all the people who breed, select and raise exotic animals in our country. We are doing everything possible and even expanding our activities because in Bulgaria, these pets are still not as well-known as they are worldwide. They don't even require as much attention, effort and time as the standard pets – such as dogs and cats, for example".

Dr. Shankov explains that such exhibitions have long been held in Europe. "We are talking about exhibitions with 5,000-6,000 exhibitors. However, a large area is needed for them. Such exhibitions are organized in Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic", said Dr. Shankov, adding that at European exhibitions, visitors do not have the opportunity to touch some of the specimens because such exhibitions are held for commercial purposes, while in Bulgaria, the goal is to introduce people to exotic animal species. Dr. Shankov revealed a small part of the surprises they have prepared.

''We expect the participation of birds of prey as well as large parrots of the Ara species, which we have not showcased before. In addition, our partners will present an incredible skunk at the exhibition, as well as squirrels. I won’t reveal all the surprises, but there will be other impressive animals that no one has seen at an exhibition so far. There will be giant snails, some of which have never been displayed anywhere. There will also be pythons in color variations that are completely unknown. So, there will be many animals that people have never seen in person, and some of them can't even be seen in photos", said Kostadin Shankov.

The participants in the exhibition are confident that visitors will be delighted by their encounter with the animals, will learn another biology lesson and will definitely be filled with some pre-Christmas cheer.