Things are ramping up at the Edmonton Valley Zoo over the next few months, with habitat enhancements and new furry friends that visitors can see this spring.
“We always have something cool going on,” explains Abigail Melgard, volunteer and membership program coordinator at the Zoo.
“Earlier this week, our new sloth habitat opened up. Our two sloths seem to be really, really enjoying it. It’s great to see them in a nice new space,” Melgard says of the newly-refurbished area located in the SAITO Centre. “And then our new wolf habitat will be open soon,” Melgard mentions. Two new arctic wolves are joining the pack at the Zoo. Once they are habituated, their new enclosure will open to the public — expected around the end of March.
Visitors can also see more of the Zoo’s newest members this spring, including two red panda cubs born last summer. “They’re mischievous, and they’re fantastic. They just started coming outside and getting used to being outdoors,” says Melgard. And then there’s the otter pups, soon to celebrate their first birthday. “There’s four of them. They are so cute!”
Meet these new members and more at the Zoo’s next big event, Zoo in Bloom. This annual event takes place over Easter weekend — this year, on April 20 and April 21. “It’s an event for us to welcome spring and get to know our animal friends a little bit more,” Melgard explains. Zoo in Bloom participants can expect specialized programming and spring-themed activities, including a scavenger hunt, games and animal talks. “It’s going to be a really fun event.”
Animal talks are also held on regular days, so every visitor has a chance to learn more. These interactive talks allow visitors to gain a deeper understanding of zoo animals, their behaviours and their care. Each daily time slot features a different animal, typically with touchable artifacts and a feeding or training demonstration. “It’s really cool for our guests to see that interaction between the zookeepers and our animals,” says Melgard.
And for those with a deeper thirst for knowledge, the Valley Zoo Development Society and Wild Neighbours Cafe host the “Spilling the Beans On…” Conversation talk series. On the first Thursday of each month, visitors can RSVP for a one-hour presentation by an animal expert, followed by a Q&A. Each month brings a different topic — for March, ecology expert Dr. Mark Boyce will discuss the World of Wolves. April’s topic is Planting with Pollinators, and May will be all about Squirrels.
As for what zoo staff look forward to this spring: “We just really love seeing our visitors come in and we love interacting with them [and teaching] them about our conservation efforts at the Zoo,” says Melgard. With ongoing improvements and refurbishments, “there’s always something really cool happening.”
