5 Zebras take up residence at the Saskatoon Zoo after being seized by conservation officials
There’s no black-and-white answer for exactly how five zebras ended up at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm and Park Zoo — but they’ve settled in and are now ready to meet the public.
In an emailed statement, the city of Saskatoon said the zebras “are here in foster care after being seized by conservation officials as part of an investigation under the Captive Wildlife Regulations.”
But the city is tight-lipped about the details of that investigation.
The zoo was approached by county officials about a herd of zebras in need of shelter, zoo manager Jeff Mitchell said a press release from the City of Saskatoon last month.
Mitchell did not disclose where the zebras originally came from and also declined to comment on the condition the zebras were in when they arrived at the zoo.
However, he assured that they are now in good hands due to the Saskatoon Zoo’s accreditation status with Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA), a charitable and accrediting organization.
“We actually have ours [CAZA] accreditation this year,” Mitchell said. “They were here for three days to inspect our entire facility — everything from our records to our policies to our procedures to how we care for animals.”
LISTEN | Hear the city’s zoo manager talk about how the zebras settle:
Saskatoon morning8:02Five zebras are in foster care at the zoo after being seized by conservationists
Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park and Zoo recently welcomed five zebras. Leisha Grebinski talks to Jeff Mitchell, who runs Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park and Zoo, about how and why the zebras came to the zoo.
Mitchell said the animal’s health and welfare is the zoo’s top priority and has worked closely with the Saskatoon-based Western College of Veterinary Medicine since the arrival of the zebras.
“The field service and the horse service have dropped just about everything and really come to help us every day,” he said.
“They literally have people, their whole life is dedicated to taking care of horses and equines… Zebras are part of the horse family, so they have the expertise and the knowledge to do that, and so do we.”
The zoo is also working with a nutritionist in Phoenix, Ariz., to modify the zebras’ diets. There a formula was developed especially for the zebras and the zoo had about 1,400 kilos of feed made.
“They get hay and they get this specially formulated high fiber Co-op feed diet that we made especially for the zebras when they came in.”
Zoo visitor Alexa Mofazzali, who is a horse owner, said it seems to her that the zebras are settling in nicely.
“I’m a horse girl, so I wanted to see them, wanted to see what condition they are in and where they are, and they look really happy and healthy,” said Mofazzali, who visited the zoo last week to see the horses. new zebras.
“I think it would be a really great stay for them,” she said.
“On the way here we talked about the animals being here mostly because they need help or assistance, from what I understand, so it looks like they’ve been placed in a really nice, quiet environment.” [and] quiet place for them.”
The zebras were given one of the caribou’s three habitats to live in, but Mitchell said he’s not sure how long the equines will stay.
