Doesn’t it feel like it has been the longest, weirdest wait for spring ever? We had record-breaking warmer weather in February followed by extreme cold, then warming up, then spring, then winter, then spring, and on and on, but HOPEFULLY we are now off that weather rollercoaster.
I am sure the Zoo residents who moved to winter homes would rather be outdoors, and it’s happening now for some of them. The first thing I checked out at the Zoo late last month was the zebras. They are back in their outdoor glory.
I hate to admit it, but I didn’t even check to see if the bears were awake and roaming around! Oops. But I was surprised to see a few butterflies at this time of year (end of April). I didn’t know what kind of butterflies they were. So, I looked it up using Google Lens. The picture below is a Mourning Cloak butterfly, which is one of the longest-lived butterflies, sometimes a whole year. They can hibernate under tree bark or in cavities, and then they are one of the first butterflies seen in early spring. You learn something new every day! I had no idea some butterflies could hibernate, and I was even more surprised that they could survive a Saskatoon winter!
I had to include the picture of the pygmy goats below, because when I saw them in their high spot, it reminded me of cats reigning over their worlds in their cat trees. Cats and goats share some similar traits.
I also felt I would be remiss if I didn’t have a picture of geese on their nests. Not one of these geese in this picture hissed at me. For those who don’t know about geese, they can be more than a tad grumpy if you get too close to their nests, so think about that next time you are at the zoo and you think it might be nice to get up close. Instead, that’s what Zoom is for on your cell phone. 😊
As I write this, I realize a year has passed since I began writing the Saskatoon Zoo Foundation blog. I have enjoyed every trip to the zoo to visit the animals and take in the beauty of the trees, flowers, and shrubs, both wild and planted.
Tickets for the Foundation’s biggest annual fundraiser, ZOOGALA, June 12th went on sale April 1st. They sold out April 20th which is a record! Funds raised for the Saskatoon Zoo Foundation go toward capital projects and improvements. One of the projects is a much larger grizzly bear space. Koda and Mistaya (the bears) would be forever grateful.
If you would like to donate, click here: Donate – Saskatoon Zoo Foundation
Your Saskatoon Zoo Foundation blogger,
Carol Thomson
